is it a swarm or orentation

[jayj200]

how to tell what a hive is doing?

is it a swarm release or just a orientation flight?

[PeeVee]

A while back, while tending another hive in the yard, I thought there was an orientation flight going on. While I watched, I noticed the "orientation" flight was gathering more bees. That was when I realized I was seeing the start of a swarm. Readied some equipment and collected the swarm when it landed in some brush only 50 feet away.

[PeeVee]

So, I guess if it's just a few bees, it's orientation. A few thousand bees in the air pretty much indicates swarm.

[GSF]

Once you see them swarm a couple of times you can tell it's coming before they come pouring out of the hive. Before the actual swarm it's sort of like orientation but a lot faster and more corners than curves. They also go a lot higher.

I'm stuck in the continual loop of robbing. If I see two more bees in front of the hive I' start thinking "Robbing!" I've had a few hives have big orientation flights recently.

[BeeMaster2]

One big difference that I have noticed is the sound. A swarm is very noisy compared to orientation flights. It is probably due to the fact that swarm bees come out heavily loaded with honey where as orienting bees come out with an empty honey stomach.
When our observation hive, on the patio, swarms, you can hear it in the house. When they are orienting, you don't notice it even when you are in the patio.
Jim

[Michael Bush]

Orientation is in front of the hive.  A swarm is in the sky in a tornado of bees that then coalesces onto a branch in a cluster.  There is no mistaking the difference.

[jayj200]

Thanks Guys