What's happening inside my bait hive?

[Nirakaro]

I put it out late in April, and ten days ago I noticed that it was in use – a small swarm judging by the quite slow traffic in and out - and I assumed that the bee-pheromone equivalent of a 'sold' sign would send away any scouts from other swarms. Yesterday though, a sizeable swarm filled the sky over the house for a few minutes, then moved in to the bait hive.

If I'd just moved into a new home, I'd be miffed if a gang of strangers – or even distant cousins – came and moved in with me, but I guess bees do it differently. Will they come to an amicable arrangement, or will there be a bit of ethnic cleansing going on?

 

[North End Bees]

I put it out late in April, and ten days ago I noticed that it was in use – a small swarm judging by the quite slow traffic in and out - and I assumed that the bee-pheromone equivalent of a 'sold' sign would send away any scouts from other swarms. Yesterday though, a sizeable swarm filled the sky over the house for a few minutes, then moved in to the bait hive.

If I'd just moved into a new home, I'd be miffed if a gang of strangers – or even distant cousins – came and moved in with me, but I guess bees do it differently. Will they come to an amicable arrangement, or will there be a bit of ethnic cleansing going on?

Did you see pollen going in over the last week?
It sounds like the 'slow traffic' was just the scout bees investigating.

 

[Ian123]

It is entirely possible a larger swarm will take over or move into a hive or location that’s already occupied, also more likely if it’s only recently. As above though it’s more probable that what you witnessed the other day was scout bees.

 

[Sutty]

I've previously had an empty hive I thought had been occupied by a swarm from the amount of traffic - shortly afterwards it was apparent they were just scouts as the swarm arrived! Very impressive!!

 

[blackcloud]

It is entirely possible a larger swarm will take over or move into a hive or location that’s already occupied, also more likely if it’s only recently. As above though it’s more probable that what you witnessed the other day was scout bees.

It is indeed -I had a tiny caste swarm removed by a bigger one late last year.

 

[Nirakaro]

Did you see pollen going in over the last week?
It sounds like the 'slow traffic' was just the scout bees investigating.

Ok. The 'slow traffic' was defimitely steady traffic, a few going in and out every time I looked, over at least ten days. I hadn't realised the scouts would be as assiduous as that. Anyway, they're now happily installed in a hive.

 

[North End Bees]

I hadn't realised the scouts would be as assiduous as that.

Lol when doing a reccy on a potential new home, assiduous is exactly what they are!

 

[Sutty]

Tom Seeley's book "Honeybee democracy" explains lots about bees in a swarm deciding where to live. There is little mention of the activities of scouts before the swarm leaves the hive.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Tom Seeley's book "Honeybee democracy" explains lots about bees in a swarm deciding where to live. There is little mention of the activities of scouts before the swarm leaves the hive.

Yes because Seeley did his research on a bivouacked cluster.