Swarm decides to move next door????

[Mike Tuggle]

OK, here is a question for the more experienced of us in moving swarms.  Another case of "bees will be bees."

I picked up a swarm yesterday -- an 8-pounder about 20' up in a white pine.  I did a shake and dump into a bucket and then into the box.  After a while the girls on the outside of the box were doing the "queen's here" posture. Still, there were a few hundred that when shook, still continued to go back and cluster on the tree. I just couldn't convince them to come down even after climbing the tree and trying to brush them into a small bucket.

Can't understand the clustering if I had the queen in my box.

Hived them this morning and all looked fine for a while.  Came out after breakfast and there was crazy activity and there was heavy bearding on one of my hives where I missed a swarm last week.  See: http://FileLibrary.MYAASite.Com/Content/0/499/35107847.jpg  Another hour later, and the top bar I loaded is all but empty and the lang is seriously humming and the beard is almost gone.

Could the swarm have simply decided to move next door?

[Kathyp]

like this?

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,33304.0.html

[Kathyp]

Can't understand the clustering if I had the queen in my box.

that happens all the time.  either scouts returning, or bees going back to the scent of the queen.  some are stubborn that way....and you may have missed the queen.  sometimes they act like she's in the box, but she's not.  that might explain why they would join another hive.  did you see the queen?

[Mike Tuggle]

That video really captures what happened this morning! 

No, I did not see the queen, simply made an assumption based on fanning postures and how satisfied they were with my "shake" box.

Out there a little wile ago and it's like nothing ever happened.  Top Bar is empty and the Lang girls have normal, if heavy, traffic.  :)