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Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: DaveKow on May 08, 2011, 02:20:33 PM

Title: Swarm left, landed, came back???
Post by: DaveKow on May 08, 2011, 02:20:33 PM
I had a swarm leave my hive, land on my apple tree, then appear to have gone back to the hive.  Is this unusual?  What should I do now?

Thanks.
Title: Re: Swarm left, landed, came back???
Post by: tillie on May 08, 2011, 04:12:07 PM
If the queen didn't leave with the swarm, they will go back.

Linda T in Atlanta
Title: Re: Swarm left, landed, came back???
Post by: greenbtree on May 08, 2011, 04:41:49 PM
Split them, split them now?!! (Check with Iddee)

JC
Title: Re: Swarm left, landed, came back???
Post by: annette on May 09, 2011, 02:17:55 AM
Had the same thing happen last year. They swarmed out and after 45 minutes they all went back in. I immediately split the hive.
Title: Re: Swarm left, landed, came back???
Post by: joebrown on May 09, 2011, 02:25:00 AM
This happened to me last year as well, but unfortunately I did not get to split the hive!!
Title: Re: Swarm left, landed, came back???
Post by: L Daxon on May 09, 2011, 11:58:30 AM
This happened to me Sat.  They left and within 15 min. came back and clustered on the front & side of the hive.  I brushed the bees on the outside into a new box and put two frames of brood in with them to 1) make sure they stayed in the new box and 2) give them a chance to raise their own queen as I doubt they had one.
ld
Title: Re: Swarm left, landed, came back???
Post by: sc-bee on May 09, 2011, 10:58:56 PM
If you can, take the old queen with the split to simulate her leaving with a swarm.
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