[Growing Boy]

Going out to do my endless yard chores naturally I go by to see how the girls are doing. Hmmmmm, seems to be a bit of a hub-bub. Upon closer inspection I couldn't help but notice the hundreds upon hundreds of bees in the air, many more than I've seen during any orientation flight. Then I notice bees literally streaming out of the hive. Oh no!!!!! It's the big one! The girls are leaving home! Then I notice just as many are going back into the hive as are coming out. Throughly confused I retreated back to the house and the A/C for a brief reflection on what I had just witnessed. Five minutes later I go out to take another look. Shazam! Everything is back to normal. I mean exactly the way it looks everyday at this time. Same number of bees doing the same things. So here's the question.Were they swarming? ( I know open it up and take a look, not very appealing around here this time of year.) Or were they just in a hurry for their afternoon break on a hot, humid day. I'm inclined to think the later seeing as though while dramatic it was certainly not on the level of the bee swarming videos I've seen on you tube.
Any thoughts.

 

[Aram]

They might have been practicing for tomorrow's swarm. No kidding. I'd open an take a look.

 

[Rick 1456]

I can't say if it will be a swarm but I'd prepare anyway. When my big hive has orientation,,,it is a colossal event.( To me anyway). I get concerned alittle as well. My bees flight path is up through an opening in the forest canopy and it is a steady "tube" of bees coming and going. I guess the thing I notice is they are going back in. Still love to watch

rick SoMd

 

[B Reeves]

Do you have clipped Queens?

 

[theriverhawk]

Could very well be the daily orientation flights for the newly hatched bees. It can really look chaotic like a swarm when there are alot of new bees.

 

[D Coates]

I saw that very thing with one of my hives yesterday. I didn't have time to check inside but I do have 4 swarm traps all around just in case they can't wait for this weekend.

 

[Growing Boy]

Only difference I notice this morning is that foraging activity is at a fever pitch.
Seems like 7 or 8 bees coming and going every second or two. A doubling of normal. Oh, and they're really testy. I used to be able to get 3 feet from the hive and just watch them no problem. If I get within 6 feet now they send a couple out to fend me off. I've got a clipped queen in there and she's producing brood. This is the height of the dearth here now.
Might just have to gird my loins, armor myself as best I can and take a look.
I've got a deep and 2 mediums on there now but the last time I looked which was 2 weeks ago, they hadn't drawn out anything in the top super, just using it as a place to hang out in. It should have enough ventilation, SBB, 2 1-inch holes in the top super and the inside cover up 1/8 of an inch.
Pray for me boys and girls. I'M GOING IN!

 

[jonathan]

When you have a clipped queen she falls to the ground when the hive swarms and the swarm then returns to the hive. Sounds like that is what you witnessed. It will more than likely be full of sealed queen cells so you have about a week to sort things out before a swarm leaves with the first virgin to hatch.

 

[Growing Boy]

By golly your right. I peered through the weeds and found a small cluster in the middle of which I'm assuming is the queen. Question.
I've got enough material, supers, frames etc. to cobble together a nuc in an hour or so. Couldn't I just put her in that with a couple of frames of brood and bees and let the old hive have their new queen?

 

[StevenG]

You could make up a nuc with the old queen and some frames of brood. But until you get a handle on the parent colony, you run the risk of more than one swarm....ever hear of afterswarms? lolol You can easily lose more than one swarm out of a strong hive, with lots of swarm cells.
Good luck, and keep us posted!
Steven