How far will they go?

MarkF · August 14, 2008, 10:26:44 PM

Well Sunday while I was on the road (I'm a truck driver) one of my hives threw a swarm, from the pictures my wife took it was fairly large. By the time I arrived home they had left the tree they were in and there is no sign of them. Since its 14 Aug and there is not a lot of time for them to build up any stores their chance of surviving a winter is almost none I'd like to try to find them and get them back any idea how far they could have gone?

Moonshae · August 15, 2008, 08:35:28 AM

I've heard that swarms can travel up to 5 miles away, but usually not that far. Several miles is possible. If no one even saw which direction they went, your chances of finding it are probably nil.

bassman1977 · August 15, 2008, 09:21:24 AM

QuoteI'd like to try to find them and get them back any idea how far they could have gone?

I've heard up to 10 miles.

MarkF · August 15, 2008, 06:56:03 PM

Oh well, I hope they find a good place and have time to bring in enough stores to get them through the winter. :'(

Michael Bush · August 15, 2008, 07:51:24 PM

They MIGHT go quite a ways, if they can't find a good spot, but usually they are just a quarter mile or so away.

Jerrymac · August 15, 2008, 08:32:54 PM

Bee lining :-D

JP · August 16, 2008, 12:26:59 PM

It seems to make sense that they would conserve their energies, their last honey meal, so 5 or more miles to me seems far fetched, under 2 miles makes sense to me.

...JP