swarms on the ground?

[linda montgomery]

Twice now in the past two weeks I have had what would appear to be a swarm except that the bees gather on the ground, rather than a branch or other elevated spot.

I posted a question here about 2 weeks ago and it was suggested that I had an "afterswarm" with an old queen who had been superceded and thrown out with a couple of bees. That made sense, I found what seemed to be an old queen and the group continued to relocate in several spots on the ground and then sort of dwindled away.

Now I've got an even larger group of bees ON THE GROUND!

Is this weird?

[Billy Y.]

My guess is those are afterswarms with virgin queens. The queens hatched out and then the colony swarmed with them before they developed the ability to fly that well.

A new colony with a virgin queen should take a couple weeks before you start seeing brood.

[Brent Bean]

Throw a nuc next to them and watch them march into their new home. I wish I could catch a few swarms on the ground they never seem to make it that easy for me. And make my tired old legs climb a ladder.

[BULLSEYE BILL]

Do what Mr. Bean said and then give them a new queen. The one in the ground swarm has something wrong with her.

[Ian]

funny finding them on the ground. Never seem to be looking down for swarms!

the one I tried catching on the ground was not easy, and after all the trouble of shaking them into the colony, they flew away!