[Esteban]

I have a friend with two new hives about 6 weeks old. Both are queenless and raising queen cells. Yesterday there was a cloud of bees near the hives. I searched for a swarm but could locate a ball of bees. We opened the hives and there were more less the same amount of bees present as usual on a beautiful summer afternoon. One of the hives had a queen cell where the queen had emerged. Could this spectacle have been the queen on her maiden flight? I don't want to keep opening the hives to look at them and see if there are less bees. I prefer to leave them alone if possible. The only thing I can think with that many bees flying a round in a scattered pattern is a swarm or a maiden flight. Thanks, Esteban

 

[beedeetee]

Orientation flights? Was it in the afternoon?

 

[RayMarler]

It sounds to me like an orientation and cleansing flight. It normally happens in the afternoons at the hottest part of the day, or shortly thereafter. It could have been a virgin queen orientation flight as well I suppose, but can not state that as fact from my experiences.

 

[Esteban]

Yes it was afternoon about 5pm. Orientation flight is probably right. Thanks.

 

[Esteban]

Oops, hit submit too quickly! This cloud was not at the hive entrance but more like 20 to 30 feet up in the air about 50 feet away from the hives.

 

[RayMarler]

Was it a swarm? or was it a queen flight? One or the other I'd guess.

 

[Michael Bush]

>This cloud was not at the hive entrance but more like 20 to 30 feet up in the air about 50 feet away from the hives.

Then it sounds more like a swarm or an entourage for a mating flight.

 

[Saltybee]

Sounds like absconding as well, but that is pretty easy to tell for sure after a few minutes.