EEEK!! Swarming??

Went out to check the hive this am...last night was not really to cold 40 to 45 degrees.

I saw about 8 to 10 dead bees on the front entry of the hive...and one was a little larger than the other and seemed to be yellow colored.

The abdomin was yellow...no triped like the rest...fatter too.

Later I look and they are flying all over the entry area and up to 30 feet.

I took a pick of the yellow one and a video of the swarming.. http://www.flickr.com/photos/8994153...in/photostream

Here is the photo of the yellow one http://www.flickr.com/photos/89941531@N07/ might be both of them here.

I opened the hive last week and looked at Number 8/9/10 frames....number 10 had bees on it just starting to draw comb

Number 8 and 9 had honey capped.

put 10 in 8 place and closed it up as they were getting a little pissed...show ya that one video later.

I put another deep on top as only had that...for them to work on.

Hope someone can help.

Bobby

I wonder if it was a usurpation swarm taking over a colony and what is on the landing board could be the dead resident queen?

The bee on the landing board looks like a drone with DWV.

Maybe I will go grab it and check under the scope

orientation flights

I don't think its swarming. But, you better read up on swarm control. That hive is strong and will defiantly try to swarm this spring. Our area bee inspector spoke at our clubs meeting this past Monday and said he had already saw some swarm cells in some hives in St. Augustine. So we may have some early swarms this year.

Well, I got a hive ready to place next to the other...hopefully it will catch them.
Going to get some help...maybe spit the hive before it can swarm?

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Originally Posted by wadehump

orientation flights

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I would agree. Looks like orientation flights to me. I remember the first time I saw that, I freaked out, thought they were absconding.

I agree as well. Orientation flight. I've had two hives do that in the past week. That yellow bee looks nothing like a queen to me. I think all is well in that hive!

Not a queen, dead drone or something. Looks like an orientation flight to me. See how the bees just kind of circle around?