what was this?

troutstalker2 · May 24, 2009, 10:59:59 PM

When outside in the backyard around 4 pm and saw one of my hives with the bees congregating en mass outside of the entrance. About 4 minutes later they all started flying willie nillie everywear. It wasn't an organized thing at all just thousands and thousands of bees flying . It was loud also. Ten minutes later they were all bunched up at the entrance again going in. Maybe a queen on a mating flight? It reminded me of the movie The Birds.

David

Michael Bush · May 24, 2009, 11:10:12 PM

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfaqs.htm#orientation

troutstalker2 · May 24, 2009, 11:35:06 PM

I don't believe these were orientation flights, they were everywhere in the backyard, not just outside the entrance to the hive. 50 feet high and 50 feet wide. I would have a hard time estimating how many, but many, many thousands. The noise was louder, much louder, than I've ever heard before. Like a scary movie. Its not like I was frightened, but my wife and I were just amazed at the shear volume of bees that were buzzing everywhere.

iddee · May 25, 2009, 12:28:41 AM

If they don't swarm tomorrow, it was orientation flights.

dgc1961 · May 25, 2009, 09:03:44 AM

I think orientation flight also. I have a hive that was a swarm. I could tell the when the new bee's emerged. The first day they were taking orientation flight, the air was full of bees. And it was loud also. They were flight just like what you described 50' wide and 50' high. I could watch them fly in circles going wider and wider and higher and higher.

troutstalker2 · May 25, 2009, 09:38:07 AM

Michael, I didn't mean to ask a question and not listen to the answer. I know you were helping and you know much more about bees than I probably ever will. Thanks for the Input, I appreciate it.

David

Michael Bush · May 25, 2009, 11:38:55 AM

Orientation does tend to be more local to the hive. Perhaps they swarmed, but if they were just all over and, not headed to a particular place (with a lot of randomness in between), then perhaps it was just orientation. If the weather had been not so nice lately these bees may be the graduating class that is going to the field and they have piled up for a few days and are now exploring the area.

jeremy_c · May 25, 2009, 11:42:43 AM

What you described was almost exactly what I saw with my two hives that recently absconded :-/. The first hive that did this, only 1/2 of them left but the next day the rest of them left and my hive was empty.

Does it look like you have the same mass of bees? What does it look like today outside, normal activity?

Jeremy

troutstalker2 · May 25, 2009, 07:28:17 PM

Everything looks normal, I don't think there are any less bees today.

David

Bee Happy · May 25, 2009, 07:34:25 PM

I was just wondering if you had a few days of rain before you saw this orientation; we had a few days where there was too much rain (apparently) and I saw a pretty large orientation group yesterday. I didn't fathom why I saw SO many until you mentioned the huge numbers you were getting.

troutstalker2 · May 25, 2009, 07:45:21 PM

Its been raining off and on forever here. Not really a good for honey production, but I think we are finally off water restrictions in this part of North Carolina