Mating flight?

[Jonnyl]

The queen won't be in the cluster. But the bees can still cluster outside.
I've shown my video many times. Happy to show it again

And thats exactly what happened and why they didn't stay clustered and returned to the hive after a very few minutes. Which of course is indicative of it not being a swarm.

 

[Erichalfbee]

And thats exactly what happened and why they didn't stay clustered and returned to the hive after a very few minutes. Which of course is indicative of it not being a swarm.

Unless the queen is clipped and lost in the grass.

 

[Jonnyl]

Unless the queen is clipped and lost in the grass.

Don't clip Eric, perhaps i should but that's a whole new other discussion.

 

[Clivewoodford]

Certainly no expert here and probably a different situation but in my second year in the game I thought my strongest colony was swarming, I raced around grabbing a swarm trap and setting it up close by with much interest by scouts, the air was full of bees.
Then they all settled on the hive that I thought they came from, I moved the trap hive up next to them and tried ( partially successfully) to move them in.
The next day upon inspection I found that my hive had not swarmed but a huge swarm had decided that was prime accommodation and had moved in. I ended up with 2 hives, 2 dead queens, no honey and buying 2 new queens

 

[Dodge]

Talk of a mating flight cluster. I have a hive where only 1 queen cell was left after the point of not being able to make any more. Yesterday I had what looked like a swarm come out, drift over a couple of gardens and go back in. Today same but the bees made a bivouac in next door garden for few tens if monies then went back home. Anyone else had this on a mating flights?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

yes

 

[Erichalfbee]

Me too. But not Finman

 

[Boston Bees]

Talk of a mating flight cluster. I have a hive where only 1 queen cell was left after the point of not being able to make any more. Yesterday I had what looked like a swarm come out, drift over a couple of gardens and go back in. Today same but the bees made a bivouac in next door garden for few tens if monies then went back home. Anyone else had this on a mating flights?

Yes, have only seen it two or three times, but I have seen it

 

[Dodge]

Talk of a mating flight cluster. I have a hive where only 1 queen cell was left after the point of not being able to make any more. Yesterday I had what looked like a swarm come out, drift over a couple of gardens and go back in. Today same but the bees made a bivouac in next door garden for few tens if monies then went back home. Anyone else had this on a mating flights?

Just to update all.

Looked in the hive as i am in an urban environment and cant afford to annoy the neighbours; i also have a spare queen in case I lose a virgin. There were 3 really small queen cells with a hatched queen walking about piping. So, moral of story is, watch out for very late queen cells when doing a split.

 

[Boston Bees]

Just to update all.

Looked in the hive as i am in an urban environment and cant afford to annoy the neighbours; i also have a spare queen in case I lose a virgin. There were 3 really small queen cells with a hatched queen walking about piping. So, moral of story is, watch out for very late queen cells when doing a split.

Did you open the other cells?

 

[Dodge]

Did you open the other cells?

Yes, despatched the ready to hatch queens except one (they where all still alive) which is in a mini mating nuke now.

 

[Boston Bees]

Yes, despatched the ready to hatch queens except one (they where all still alive) which is in a mini mating nuke now.

I just let them all out if they are alive, I must admit, and let them sort it out themselves. Not saying this is a better option than dispatching them.

 

[Dodge]

I just let them all out if they are alive, I must admit, and let them sort it out themselves. Not saying this is a better option than dispatching them.

I hate dispatching them but as the hive's are at the bottom of the garden of a 50's semi I can't risk any swarming.

If it was my out apiary then I would have released them and let nature take its course.

 

[Boston Bees]

I hate dispatching them but as the hive's are at the bottom of the garden of a 50's semi I can't risk any swarming.

If it was my out apiary then I would have released them and let nature take its course.

Interesting point - I don't think you would get swarming if they are all released would you? Perhaps I am wrong in assuming this.

 

[Dodge]

Interesting point - I don't think you would get swarming if they are all released would you? Perhaps I am wrong in assuming this.

No, I don't think they would swarm bit it's belt n braces due to location.

As i understand they would be prevented from hatching or separated from the 1st born so she can swarm as a secondary. If you release them the bees are unable to control the situation and they would fight until one was left.