[marksmith]

This evening, right before bees start settling down for the afternoon (7pm pacific time) I was standing on my Dads porch and noticed there were a bunch of bees almost orienting on his pump room door. Went down and there were probably 2-300 bees coming in and out. I pulled the piece of plywood they were crawling into down to see what was up. There is definitely a nice cavity..... but no ball of bees. I’m kind of perplexed. I thought for sure they were orienting to their new home and I’d find a swarm.

So, for now, I waited for the bees to disperse.... closed the pump room door, and set a bait hive next to the entrance with swarm lure in it. No old comb, so it’s beeswax rubbed new wood.

Figure they will be upset in the pump room tomorrow or they won’t. If they are, I’ll have to keep digging till I find them. If not, maybe I’ll get very lucky and they will take a look at the hive I set in their path.

So anyone explain what’s going on??

Thanks
Mark

 

[herbhome]

A swarm will issue an ever increasing number of scouts to investigate a new nest site. At some point, and I wish I could tell you exactly when but I can't, they "decide" on the the new home and all leave in that direction to take it over. It sounds like the bees you spotted were pretty far into the process.
Good Luck!

 

[marksmith]

Thanks.

I’m really hoping catching a swarm doesn’t turn into a cut out.

 

[Trin]

I'm facing the same thing. Bees found an old swarm trap in my barn. There was some robbing going on near by because I had left out a bunch of comb frames. After removing those, still some activity but over near a pile of lumber. Found the swarm trap under some stuff. First day maybe a dozen bees orienting and going into the trap. This morning about 30 or so. At 5:30 pm Looks like more than 100. I haven't seen any queen cells in the hives. Supposed to rain tomorrow so Friday I will go through the suspect Hives and see if I missed something. Going to check the trap after dark tonight.

I don't know of any BK within a few miles of my house so I don't think the scouts are from an outside source. We don't normally see honey bees near our home. I just started a couple of hives this year to help restart a proposed apiary business.

I am open to adoption.

 

[ursa_minor]

Marksmith how did it turn out, did the bees use your trap or did you need to do a cut out?

I am having the same problem. I removed a hive that was in a shed wall and the bees had died in April. I took the wall apart, left it open and set a swarm trap in front of it because I have had honey bees on and off in this wall for years.

Today I went out and found that scouts ignored my trap and were going into the wall about 6 feet to the left and less than a foot off the ground. Many bees were going in and out, I did not see any pollen but being a first year beekeeper, I am not sure if the swarm actually is in there or they are casing the joint.

Now I don't know how long to wait until I do something, if I try now? or wait till they make comb? I am busy searching this forum to glean any info I can as to timing and should I wait with the trap in front for a week and see if they use it instead? So much to learn, so easy to screw this up.

 

[GregV]

As of today, hundred some bees were scouting out my back porch again.
Two day in the row now.
I was hoping today was the day - NOT.
Never know with these things.
Maybe tomorrow?
Unless the owner caught the wind of the pending swarm, hope not

 

[Fivej]

Delete. Didn't notice this was so old!