I have read with much interest everyones stories about why or how bees
do what they do from a swarm. Last year I had six swarms. Two were up in
a pine tree 8o feet up and were gone to who knows where in a few hours.
I captured 4 of them. I put one swarm in a hive and they immediately
went back to the parent hive. A couple of hours it came back out(I
assume it was the same swarm) went to the same apple tree branch where I
put them in the same hive and they stayed. Another swarm was captured
and given to a friend. The last swarm was very small. Another friend
wanted it for the queen. I put the swarm with the queen(i saw her in the
bucket) with a screen over it. When the beekeeper arrived to get them we
could not find the queen. I went back to the apple tree and there she
was with a very few bees. I very carefully picked her up and put her on
his nuc box, in she went and the bees followed her.
Anyway, I don't know why bees do what they do, but they sure fun.
 
Beeing your friend
 
PS one of the swarms had a queen that did not mase or something and laid
drones. Almost too late, I put a store bought queen and some bees and
brood from another hive with them and they are now fine.