Raining Honey???

[Storm]

Just wondering if anyone has experienced this before.  I went out on a swarm call today.  The swarm turned out to be a small cast-off, too small to be viable, trapped in a shed and just looking for a way to get out.  I opened a back door and pretty soon the scouts took the hint.  As we sat down to watch them make the exodus, we noticed that several of them were spitting out their stored honey as they left the building.  It came down in beautiful gossamer threads, back-lit by the afternoon sunlight.

Having captured most previous swarms, this was a rare chance for me to just watch them fly.  I've never seen this behavior before, and it seems to go against everything I know about swarm behavior.  Has anyone else seen this before?  Would the fact that this swarm had mites be a factor?

I tried to get a picture, but it was too difficult to time.

Thanks

[Flygirl]

I have no idea on the mites but the rest of it sounds magical!  It's nature amazing???  Thanks for sharing.  FG

[D Coates]

How hot was the shed?  If it's warm and they feel stressed they'll throw up the contents of their honey stomach.  I've not seen it as you describe but I've had it happen when extracting honey.  The leftover bees fly to a screen and end up throwing up honey as the try to escape.

[Storm]

It was about 80-ish in there, but they were definitely stressed.  They had mites, a competing hive within 30 feet, and they were a small swarm (probably a third cast).  Then added to that, they had alighted on the inside wall, just below the  window.  Since the shed was very dark inside, most of the cluster kept frantically flying up on the glass like it was a light bulb. 

Thanks for the info, D.  That did indeed look like what they were doing, I just wondered if anyone else had observed this.  Too bad they aren't likely to survive, but it was a beautiful sight while it lasted, as you said Flygirl.

Storm

[BjornBee]

I guess you could call it a "golden shower"...  :-D

[Kathyp]

that's just wrong!   :-P

[Storm]

Wrong, wrong, wrong.    :-P

[ProPacific]

So they weren't spitting!

[Storm]

Yes, it appears they were in fact vomiting the contents of their honey stomachs, Pro.  I was just curious as to why they would do that, and D seems to have answered that.

[ProPacific]

Awesome! Thanks D!

[mat]

Are you sure is was not from the other end?

[Storm]

Not 100% certain, but they were all "spitting" just as they left the doorway, and the odor got pretty strong after awhile.  Also, one hit me in the face & it was that distinctive sticky/sweet.  Never been hit by diarrhea, but seen it in the hive & it's much different.

[gundalf]

What did it taste like? :-P

[Storm]

Sweet, but thinner than honey.  I'd say D was probably right that they were throwing up the contents of their honey stomachs.