Mating flight?

[wayne]

I just noticed some bees in the yard. They are just hovering and floating at about 6 feet off the ground. There seems to be one that the others will swoop in and touch from time to time and swoop away a few feet. About 5 bees all total.
 Seems late for breeding to me but what do I know. Could this be a queen mating flight?



wayne

[Mici]

don't know. but i think they mate higher and farer.

[IndianaBrown]

Sounds like an orinetation flight to me.  Where they in front of hive, mostly facing it?

[Brian D. Bray]

Either orientation flights or potentional robbers looking for an oportunity to sneak in.

[Michael Bush]

When you see queens mating there will be a drone comet chasing the queen.  It will be more like fourty feet up or so with hundreds and maybe even thousands of drones involved.  It's seldom in the beeyard, it's usually in a DCA (Drone Congregation Area) several miles from the beeyard.