Joel Govostes wrote:
>
> Let me throw out another question.
>
> Does a swarm try to find a new site some (minimum) distance away from the
> parent?  How does this work out as regarding competition for available
> forage, etc.  I have a dim recollection of reading somewhere that a swarm
> won't investigate potential home-sites that are too "close" to their
> origin.  I wonder if anyone can provide some info or references.
>
> I have always presumed that swarms that arrive and occupy empty hives at my
> bee-yards have always come from some distance away, and not from my own
> hives there.  Any comments appreciated.                            Thanks!
> JWG
 
Joel -
 
The only thing I can say from my experience is that over the last couple of years I or my
kids have seen swarms leave my hives to land on a tree or bush nearby. I have taken
those swarms and hived them within 100' of the original hive and have never had one
not accept the new hive or leave it. Whether that disproves the thought that a swarm
won't investigate potential home-sites close to their origin isn't clear as they did not
choose the new hive I put them in but were dumped in by me. On the other hand, none
of them ever chose to leave on their own will assuming bees have wills.
 
-Barry
 
--
Barry Birkey
West Chicago, Illinois  USA
[log in to unmask]
http://www.birkey.com