Thoughts re: tiny prime swarm?

[sparklysally]

So, like the title says, a small swarm was flying around my apiary yesterday, finally settling nearby. They only had about 500 bees (barely covered half a frame) but was presumably a prime swarm because the queen was marked (red) and numbered*.

*so not from my hives

Wondering what your thoughts are as to why they were so few? All I can think are that maybe they're from a swarming apidea? or that they might have had a daughter queen in with the swarm (ie two queens in one swarm) and most bees went off with her. Or if they originally swarmed days ago but something has happened to the rest of the workers? Any other suggestions? Just curious.

Anybody in the Richmond-upon-Thames area lost their numbered queen recently?! ;-)

 

[sparklysally]

Or maybe a beekeeper collected the original swarm but somehow left the queen behind?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

a strange supersedure that happens occasionally (had one similar myself this year) a sort of a not that perfect a supersedure where, instead of killing the old queen they turf her out or she decides to leave and eventually a small bunch of bees goes with her.

 

[sparklysally]

a strange supersedure that happens occasionally (had one similar myself this year) a sort of a not that perfect a supersedure where, instead of killing the old queen they turf her out or she decides to leave and eventually a small bunch of bees goes with her.

That's an interesting thought, yes I think I might have read about that kind of thing

 

[JamezF]

a strange supersedure that happens occasionally (had one similar myself this year) a sort of a not that perfect a supersedure where, instead of killing the old queen they turf her out or she decides to leave and eventually a small bunch of bees goes with her.

I wonder if that's the cause of my "basket case" swarm that I collected from a nearby village yesterday? Doesn't much matter now though. I went to see if they were flying this morning and but for about two dozen bees they've absconded.

James

 

[Sutty]

Could it be a starvation swarm?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Could it be a starvation swarm?

that's the other possibility

 

[Erichalfbee]

I might agree with sutty
I had one a few years back. Saw them come out of the box I used to have up in one of the garden trees. Made a nuc up for them and they did really well for 2/3 years

 

[sparklysally]

Could it be a starvation swarm?

Yes, that's an interesting idea. I collected a small swarm last September that I was sure must have been something like a starvation swarm or an "absconding from wasps" swarm.

 

[jarmo henttu]

So, like the title says, a small swarm was flying around my apiary yesterday, finally settling nearby. They only had about 500 bees (barely covered half a frame) but was presumably a prime swarm because the queen was marked (red) and numbered*.

*so not from my hives

Wondering what your thoughts are as to why they were so few? All I can think are that maybe they're from a swarming apidea? or that they might have had a daughter queen in with the swarm (ie two queens in one swarm) and most bees went off with her. Or if they originally swarmed days ago but something has happened to the rest of the workers? Any other suggestions? Just curious.

Anybody in the Richmond-upon-Thames area lost their numbered queen recently?! ;-)

The swarm has perhaps escaped from mating nuc.