What the.....swarm out and back in

[Andy Duff]

6 days since last inspection, suited up ready to inspect the 3 double brood nationals. Hive 2 swarms, the biggest prime swarm I have ever seen, it heads straight to the little plum tree 10 feet in front of hive (tree 6' high) 2' from the top of the tree on a branch is a basket ball sized swarm. ten minutes to collect and put into 10 frame nuc, they are about an eight frame swarm., stragglers follow, no hanging about no bees left on front of nuc, no disruption to other hives. Brew time, 15 minutes later hive 3 swarms, a large swarm, they spend 20 minutes in the air, on the nuc I rushed out with, on sheds and on the ground. I am stood waiting for them to settle on a small apple tree they seem interested in, when they all pile back into their original hive, and I am wondering why they went back in?

My assistant turned up so we inspested all hives thoroughly. All 3 hives have between 30 and 40 swarm cells ready to go in a day or so. Fantastic BIAS, masses of stores in brood boxes but laying space available and all supers have 4 capped, 4 partially capped and 2 foundation drawing. (Triple brood next year).

 

[beeno]

Hi,
Good luck with that little lot then.