Robbing or new swarm?

[simonforeman]

I started beginning of the year with 2 hives. I placed side by side 3 feet between them.... the weak hive did not survive the long cold weather we had and died about 3-4 weeks ago...

So there was a small amount of honey in the brood frames and drawn comb in the dead hive. I have not got round to removing it yet and the other hive next to it is building up well but still only on 6 frames but has showed no interest in the other hive and it has just sat there.

This morning I did my inspection on the hive and all is well bees all calm. Then late this afternoon there was hundreds of bees buzzing rounds the dead hive and sounded like allot inside. Bees still going in and out of the other hive as normal.

Would this be a swarm moving in or the other hive robbing it? What should I do?
If it's a swarm let it move in and the queen start to lay before sorting the comb out?
If my other hive is robbing do I let them carry on and clean the other hive up or early tomorrow remove the empty hive.

The empty hive is disease free was just not enough bees to get through the bad weather as far as I know.

 

[enrico]

Go back after dusk, put your ear to the box and tap it, if it buzzes then it is a swarm moved in, your luck is in. However it is more than likely robbing so after dusk....ish, remove the whole lot for cleaning. Not a good idea to let it get robbed out as although your hive might have been desease free, the robbing bees may be from local hives that are not desease free!
E

 

[simonforeman]

Thanks enrico... Will be out there later listening to the hive. If no noise will remove.

 

[Bakerbee]

Was it robbing or a swarm ?

 

[simonforeman]

I afraid it looks like robbing.... went out late last night and no noise from the hive... opened it up and there was about 20 bees left in there having a late night out so knocked them out and removed the hive.

 

[enrico]

Thought that might be the case....oh well
E

 

[simonforeman]

It did prompt me to have z look at my 2 swarm boxes I put up.... both have around 10 bees around them for the first time so there's always hope...

They are approx 150 Mrs away from my hive with trees and bushes inbetween them, would this be my bees also?