Why does a swarm change its mind?

[BeeKeyPlayer]

I arrived at an apiary to see a swarm come into the air from one hive. Glad that I'd got the timing right, I waited to see where it would settle. After about ten minutes, they all went back to the hive.

I'd removed the queen from this hive a couple of weeks before, and reduced the cells to one the following week.

When I opened the hive, I found one opened cell, plus (obviously!) the one I'd missed. It contained a live virgin.

Any idea why this swarm seemed to have a change of heart?

 

[jarmo henttu]

I arrived at an apiary to see a swarm come into the air from one hive. Glad that I'd got the timing right, I waited to see where it would settle. After about ten minutes, they all went back to the hive.

I'd removed the queen from this hive a couple of weeks before, and reduced the cells to one the following week.

When I opened the hive, I found one opened cell, plus (obviously!) the one I'd missed. It contained a live virgin.

Any idea why this swarm seemed to have a change of heart?

The queen did no came with the swarm. Or it is violated. Bees changed their mind because they did not have a queen. What ever the reason. That is the way when the hive has a clipped queen.

 

[Chris Hancock]

The queen did no came with the swarm. Or it is violated. Bees changed their mind because they did not have a queen. What ever the reason. That is the way when the hive has a clipped queen.

If you found a virgin, the previous queen is likely to have swarmed, and often more bees go out with her than should, and they return to keep the balance right for both colonies. If she didn't swarm, they may be superseding and could stay in there together for a while.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I'd removed the queen from this hive a couple of weeks before, and reduced the cells to one the following week.

When I opened the hive, I found one opened cell, plus (obviously!) the one I'd missed. It contained a live virgin.

Any idea why this swarm seemed to have a change of heart?

Mating swarm

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Mating swarm

I knew about bees leaving with the queen on mating flights but I didn't know that this process could look so much like a swarm. Looking back through past posts, I came across this:

My personal suspicion is that, at least sometimes, many of the bees don't actually know what is happening. Which may be why they could mistake a mating flight for a departure, and go along with the excitement. (https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/can-a-mating-flight-look-like-a-swarm.24598/post-342134)

I thought that was plausible.

 

[user 819]

I also would go along with a mating swarm.

 

[jarmo henttu]

I knew about bees leaving with the queen on mating flights but I didn't know that this process could look so much like a swarm. Looking back through past posts, I came across this:

I thought that was plausible.

During 60 years I have never seen a mating swarm. The queen makes several mating flights during during a day

I have asked from.experienced queen breeders about mating swarms and they have have not seen either.

 

[Newbeeneil]

During 60 years I have never seen a mating swarm. The queen makes several mating flights during during a day

I have asked from.experienced queen breefers about mating swarms and they have have not seen either.

I have certainly seen this behaviour twice where a quantity of bees leave the hive and cluster on a nearby tree then return within a matter of 10-15 minutes. Both times it was when a virgin was due to go and get mated so the only explanation I can think of is the bees get caught up in a frenzy of the queen leaving then realise it’s a false alarm.

 

[Erichalfbee]

During 60 years I have never seen a mating swarm. The queen makes several mating flights during during a day

Have a look at post 4
https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/mating-flights.57091/#post-909028

 

[The Poot]

I arrived at an apiary to see a swarm come into the air from one hive. Glad that I'd got the timing right, I waited to see where it would settle. After about ten minutes, they all went back to the hive.

I'd removed the queen from this hive a couple of weeks before, and reduced the cells to one the following week.

When I opened the hive, I found one opened cell, plus (obviously!) the one I'd missed. It contained a live virgin.

Any idea why this swarm seemed to have a change of heart?

This one changed its mind after half an hour in next doors garden in mid May. It certainly wasn’t a mating swarm.
View attachment IMG_5862.MOV

 

[jarmo henttu]

Have a look at post 4
https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/mating-flights.57091/#post-909028

It depends what they are doing. I bet that it is afternoon cleansing flight after couple of rainy days.

 

[Erichalfbee]

It depends what they are doing. I bet that it is afternoon cleansing flight after couple of rainy days.

No.
Did you watch all of it?
At 1.25 you can see the queen return

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

During 60 years I have never seen a mating swarm. The queen makes several mating flights during during a day

I have asked from.experienced queen breefers about mating swarms and they have have not seen either.

you need to pay more attention, even Manley thought it was worth mentioning in his book

 

[jarmo henttu]

you need to pay more attention, even Manley thought it was worth mentioning in his book

It is same to me how they mate. If I lived 100 miles away, bees handled they job without me.

 

[Erichalfbee]

It is same to me how they mate. If I lived 100 miles away, bees handled they job without me.

Of course...but we are talking about something seen....the magic of bees.

 

[jarmo henttu]

Of course...but we are talking about something seen....the magic of bees.

When I studied biology in the University, there was no such subject like macig of animals and macig of plants. How se macig.

Nowadays macig is every where. Trees are talking to each other and they have internet in their roots. You can hug trees and stones and you get power from them.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Have you no magic in your soul?

 

[jarmo henttu]

Have you no magic in your soul?

No, I do not have soul.

 

[jarmo henttu]

No.
Did you watch all of it?
At 1.25 you can see the queen return

Queen mates at afternoon. And several times a day.

 

[Erichalfbee]

No, I do not have soul.

We still love you, though.