[mothergoosemagic]

After I tackled the big swarm yesterday, the homeowner noticed a smaller swarm about 20 feet away. We all *thought* they were part of the same swarm that had broken away, but now I'm beginning to wonder.

Both swarms were captured separately and hived separately. Watching the big swarm vs the little bunch, there is a distinct difference in the bees. The big swarm is pretty much the usual Italians, but the smaller swarm is the black-butt bees, many of which are smaller than regular bees. About half way between honeybee & sweat bee size. Had to wait until they settled down to make a good observation.

Homeowner says this is the third year in a row they've had a swarm. What's the likelihood that there was actually being two swarms, not one?

 

[KQ6AR]

Sounds like a very good chance to me, especially if the bees look different.

 

[mothergoosemagic]

I know people have posted that they've caught multiple swarms in the same place. I just thought it was weird that what looks like two different colonies decided to go to the same place about the same time. Big swarm had been there for a few days--no idea about little bees.

 

[mothergoosemagic]

The smaller swarm bees have joined their sisters in the big hive, so I guess they were the same swarm after all.

Here's a pix of two of the feral swarm:

About half are little black butts, & the rest varying degrees of stripedness, but all basically orange & black. Not planning to search for the queen for at least a few more days, and then it will be just a quick pull a frame & look for larva (eyes too old for eggs). They've got a brood frame from my package so anything else & I know I've got the queen. They went in on drawn comb.