They left

[Acebird]

I saw a tiny swarm Saturday up in a pine bow above my car.  It turns out it was my hive that took off.  The hive was overrun with hive beetle and wax moth.  The swarm stayed in the tree for a couple of days and slowly diminished.  I suspect the majority found other hives to join.
I haven't witnessed too many swarms.  Is it common for the cloud of bees flying haphazardly crashing into things?  Maybe this is a thing for one's that abscond?

[iddee]

There are definite differences in swarms and absconds.
Swarms are healthy bees with full bellies and ready to take on the world.
Absconds are sickly, starving bees that are making a failing mad dash for safety.
The only absconds I have ever seen succeed are ones that left after the destruction of their home.  IE: Tree fell and split open.

[Dan D]

I have been in a few clouds of swarming bees and haven't seen bees crashing into anything.  I was inspecting a hive once and it swarmed all around me as I was finding queen cells in it and landed on a fence post 15 ft away.  It was a pretty smooth operation to me.

[Bob Wilson]

The ones I have seen were all flying around but somehow seemed very purposeful and impatient to get to a location.

[Acebird]

Absconds are sickly, starving bees that are making a failing mad dash for safety.

I was going to mention that some bees appear to be starving.  When I went into the hive it had no capped honey.

[van from Arkansas]

Oh Mr. Ace, so sorry to chalk one up for the beetles.  I have witnessed the same, it is sad.  Last year, I barely saved a nuc.  The small hive beetle look for my nucs as my newly created nucs are the weakest hives among double deep hives full of bees.

Caught between a rock and a hard spot I am when I create queen castles, or nucs,  I want to leave the newly created tiny hives alone contrary to opening, checking for beetles.  Tenderly I usually check new hives for beetles.  Once beetle eggs are laid, only takes 5 days to slime frames, quicker in some cases depending on number of eggs, temp, hygiene bees...

Ace: consider obtaining new frames and leave your hive for another swarm to move in.  IF you still want bees.

Cheers

[Acebird]

Van, I think it was more wax moth then beetle but it was such a mess it was hard to tell.
I think my failure is do to my experience up north.  I put the hive on the ground on a 24x24 paver because up north the hive would grow to 7-8 boxes high.  I didn't see a strong instinct to hoard down here like I did up north.  The hive grew in population about the same as up north but next to nothing in stores.  Then there is the vegetation problem down here.  Everything grows uninhibited down here.  So the hive got covered with weeds.  I think it was like October/November before I cleared the area out and put it on a stand off the ground.  By that time they had already dwindled.
I have got two more skylights to replace and a pool deck to refinish so it will be a while before I can think about having bees.  I will clean the boxes up like you say in the event I get lucky again and attract another swarm.  Unfortunately I don't have any comb that can be use as an attractant.
Thanks for you input.

[Ben Framed]

Brian, sorry for your loss. As far as attractant. You should be good to go as the smell of bees are imbedded in the interior of your boxes. It might not be a bad idea to replace your now ruined wax with plastic insert foundation. That way you won?t have to worry about wax moths eating new wax foundations while waiting on the prospect of a swarm entering your beeless set up. And if a swarm does come along, with the plastic foundation you should not have to worry about wonky comb? Just a thought. Good luck! 🍀