View Full Version : Mini swarm outside hive after hiving package
mintong
06-08-2008, 03:29 PM
Ok, here is one I have not seen before, I hived some Russians Saturday and a approximately 150 or so bees decided they like it outside better clumped at junction of hive top and the hivetop feeder. They are still there this morning, rest of hive is coming a going as normal and I have a few days before I go in to make sure queen is released (she's not going anywhere because I installed a queen includer to keep her in. We will se how long this lasts as it is getting cool and a thunderstorm is coming. When I first noticed them Saturday I picked up the Hive top and swept them into the hive with the rest, but they reappeared later. Thoughts?
mintong
06-09-2008, 07:36 PM
Well, the clump of bees outside the hive survived the night. A bit slow this morning, but picked up in activity once they warmed up. Is it possible a extra queen got stuck into a package? I'm going to sweep the lot into a nuc with frames of food tomorrow morning and see what happens.
mintong
06-10-2008, 04:43 PM
This morning I swept the clump of bees hanging outside the hive into a Nuc. Went to bed, got up and a new clump has reappeared at the same location. Released bees in Nuc.
Why are they doing this? They should either be foraging or helping to setup the hive inside. I still have three days before I go into the hive to ensure queen was released. Queen includer is still in place just so she does not take off.
Is it possible that there might be a queen in the clump of bees on the outside of the hive? Virgins are nearly the size of workers.