Swarm under OMF

[Etton]

Found what looks like a swarm under the OMF. The Q in the hive was clipped and I assumed they had tried to swarm but the Q didn’t make it and the swarm ended up below the OMF. Yet on checking the hive, she was in there… could she have crawled back in or is it another hives swarm… seems a bit of a coincidence. Inspected 6 days ago, saw Q then and no QC’s. Put the ‘swarm’ into a nuc.
Odd event anyone else had a swarm under a hive or any other explanation. I had taken 2 supers off but gave in exchange 2 extracted supers, so hive had space.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Have they made comb on the underneath?
I'd have tipped them into the hive first checking there was no queen in there

 

[blackcloud]

The main bunch made it back in with q but disorientated house bees tried to re-enter through the mesh?

 

[Boston Bees]

Have they made comb on the underneath?
I'd have tipped them into the hive first checking there was no queen in there

No queen in where? There's a queen in the nuc.

 

[The Poot]

I think Blackcloud may be right - I read it that the queen was in the hive. Need to check what’s happening in the nuc.

 

[Erichalfbee]

No queen in where? There's a queen in the nuc.

Look in the bunch of bees under the omf to make sure there isn’t a queen in the bunch of bees under the omf Before tipping them in the hive they were under

 

[enrico]

Look in the bunch of bees under the omf to make sure there isn’t a queen in the bunch of bees under the omf Before tipping them in the hive they were under

Also check they are not underflying by missing the entrance. Once you get enough bees under there they start to think of it as part of the hive and can build comb just as they would above a queen excluder. It is the main fault with OMF floors. You need to put something down the front to stop them underflying.

 

[blackcloud]

I've had an omf with the mesh not fully stapled at the back,providing them with a second entrance.
Bees would congregate underneath..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Odd event anyone else had a swarm under a hive

yes, a few times, picked up a swarm with a marked queen which had settled on a nuc with a newly mated queen in once and had swarms settle on the front of establisked hives with multiple supers on.

 

[Etton]

Not inspected the nuc yet. I’ll post when I have. There was a small amount of comb under the nuc with some honey.

 

[Boston Bees]

Not inspected the nuc yet. I’ll post when I have. There was a small amount of comb under the nuc with some honey.

Just to check, you haven't shaken another hive out in the vicinity, in recent weeks, have you?

 

[Robinredcar]

I've just had the same thing, it appears there was a queen with it going to check today as they where very agitated when I removed the cluster and comb.
Interested to hear what's happened with yours, I'm pretty sure I've missed a queen cell when knocking them down to one after loosing a swarm.