Thymallus
Drone Bee
This post above came on the forum just as I was turning in last night but it's exactly the questions I would have asked if I'd had the courage.
CVB
Seeley suggests that one trigger for swarming may be the lengthening unloading times of the elder scout bees.....who then reckon it's time for house hunting. Not of much practical use unless you have a lot of time on your hands.
It's interesting that Finman's bees attempt to swarm before his main flow, which I think is roughly the equivalent of our summer flow.
We have an early spring rape flow and this usually coincides with the start of the swarming season.
So for those thinking to preempt, perhaps demarreeing when the rape comes into flower and the temperatures increase may be one way of judging it. Like most methods it won't be 100%
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