Mating or failed swarm

[Beelosser]

Hi All
I had a new hatched queen in a hive that I was expecting to do a mating flight on Tuesday/Wed. But instead there was (what I thought was) a swarm. They were easy to put in a nuc although they were not as docile as other swarms I have retrieved. I noticed they hadn’t depleted the honey stores before they left. I couldn’t see a queen but I’m no good at that anyway . When I opened the nuc most went straight back to their original hive. Yesterday a much larger swarm occurred rested in the exact same bush and after an hour all came back. Today I have just watched another swarm leave the hive and it is currently settling in the same place. Is it wishful thinking that i am witnessing several mating flights?

 

[Boston Bees]

Hi All
I had a new hatched queen in a hive that I was expecting to do a mating flight on Tuesday/Wed. But instead there was (what I thought was) a swarm. They were easy to put in a nuc although they were not as docile as other swarms I have retrieved. I noticed they hadn’t depleted the honey stores before they left. I couldn’t see a queen but I’m no good at that anyway . When I opened the nuc most went straight back to their original hive. Yesterday a much larger swarm occurred rested in the exact same bush and after an hour all came back. Today I have just watched another swarm leave the hive and it is currently settling in the same place. Is it wishful thinking that i am witnessing several mating flights?

Mating flights, as you say

 

[Anduril]

If there are no other queen cells in the hive then it is multiple mating flights.

 

[Beelosser]

Shouldn’t be,I left only one ((although you never know). Just like yesterday they have started fanning and are all returning to the hive- quite exciting. But as they keep going to the neighbours garden I hope there aren’t any more flights

 

[Boston Bees]

Shouldn’t be,I left only one ((although you never know). Just like yesterday they have started fanning and are all returning to the hive- quite exciting. But as they keep going to the neighbours garden I hope there aren’t any more flights

I have hived one of these "swarms" before myself, and had the same experience. A few confused nurse bees get left in the new hive and the foragers all go home, wondering what on earth happened.