swarm or mating flight?

[beecology]

Hi folks,

My hives are buzzing with activity today - hundreds of bees around the entrances and plenty going and returning on foraging trips.

One of the hives in question was a small swarm (from my own hive) that I re-hived last week, whilst the other hive has virgin queen in it.

So, it could be that the queens are getting ready for mating flight (1st day without rain for a while) or it could be swarming activity.

Can anyone describe what either occurrence looks like in the early stages?

There is quite an audible buzz, especially from the virgin queen hive and there are plenty of drones mixed in with the bees around the entrance.

thanks in advance

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

How could either be swarming? Unless the swarm is absconding. Is it bringing in pollen? Most likely both hives are playing catchup after a ghastly week and hopefully mating the virgin is part of that. I hope for the same from mine.

 

[Finman]

.
Cleansing and orientation after rainy days.
Young bees are full of poo.
Workers do not participate mating flights. I have seen never a mating swarm.

I have looked often to the hive when the queen is absent, and bees show no any reaction that something is happening. And after a while the queen is in the hive again.

 

[Long Eaton bee keeper]

I think it really does depend on breed as mine have always gone on a jolly hen party in fact two went at same time the other day I had one fly around the front garden and one in the rear garden flew for aprox 20 minutes then all landed back on their hives and in they went . both AS and both with virgin queens .. Did the same last year too. Buckfast mongrols I do have images but cant post as only 4 post counts ( Lurker newbe)

 

[Long Eaton bee keeper]

I think I can PM link if anyone wants to take a look

 

[oliver90owner]

TTLTB is right. Simply cannot be a swarm from a cast with a virgin queen. Impossible, if you think about it. Temps were certainly not good enough here, yesterday, for serious mating flights until very late in the afternoon.

Of course the queens will be approaching, or be ready for, mating flights as soon as the weather is conducive. Bees would not survive if that were not the norm. They would soon be out of the gene pool.

 

[Long Eaton bee keeper]

wasn't really looking at it as a swarm more than just an excited hive all going for a fly around to see her off. they certainly didn't intend on leaving that's for sure . Unusually I also found two drones less their endophallus just outside the hives. I always thought that they died almost instantly after mating.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Seen it happen thrice on one of my mating nucs lasy year. Apiary air was filled with bees, then a while later they were all queueing up to get back in.

 

[beecology]

All back to normal today - I suspect either mating flight or orientation/cleansing after bad weather.

They just like to keep us beginners on our toes!

 

[Finman]

Seen it happen thrice on one of my mating nucs lasy year. Apiary air was filled with bees, then a while later they were all queueing up to get back in.

A queen makes over 10 mating fligths during
1-3 days. Are they swarming every time or when?
Before mature age the queen makes orientation flights.