Swarm on the floor!

[small_newworld]

So, got called to a swarm today- by the time i got there the swarm had landed and spread out on a gravel path.

I put a nuc box next to them, spotted the queen and helped her inside and the rest followed, no problems- but has anyone ever seen a swarm land on the floor!???!!

Ive never known it- the queen didnt have clipped wings or anything. Is this normal?

 

[justme]

seems to be not abnormal. I collected one a week ago Sunday that had landed on the floor and then climbed about 18" up a weeping laurel branch.

Another beek i know collected one the following Wednesday on the ground in a carpark.

 

[munch]

One of my swarm today was in the middle of a flagged patio under a laurel bush,apparently it was in the bush but fell out lol, as soon as I put the old nuc on the floor they went racing in.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I suppose it all depends on where the queen lands - if she's really knackered she'll just plump down anywhere.

 

[MuswellMetro]

I have found that older queens tend to fly low ,in my recent swarms some touching the ground on small bushes


I prefer those than a young virgin high up in a tree, like last night....They did not want to walk in once we had it secured in a sheet...included A BALANCING ACT ON a Dustbin and a garden rake, i did not get in until 8:00 last night, event

i switched the phone off to day, only one more Nuc box, and decided i needed that for my own use

 

[chalkie]

I had a swarm last year (one of my own) that landed in a small pond i have on top of the duck weed and water lillies, that was fun.

 

[small_newworld]

apparently, this lot had already swarmed on a bush about 5m away initially then decided to move and splat on the floor like a big moving pancake. Maybe the queen was exhausted. Why would they shift postion?

Dont make it easy sometimes do they!?