Graham, as always, has some interesting comments from his long-term observation hive investigations.

I have noticed that primary swarms consist mostly of the older bees in the hive.  This is clear from their size alone.  I have always been amazed to find a fresh swarm, sometimes one that I have watched leave the hive and re-group elsewhere, with workers with pollen!  While this is consistent with "older bees", it seems strange that the swarm attracts bees that just a few minutes ago were foraging and, obviously, oriented to the hive that they left.

The Wisdom of the Hive, by Tom Seeley, contains a wonderful section on how bees seem to "turn off" their orientation toward their "old" hive when they swarm, so they can be part of the new population at the new location.  After all, not many swarms travel 3+ miles to their new home, so otherwise all the foragers would desert the new location and restock the old hive!

Secondary and tertiary swarms contain a much larger percentage of very young bees.

I am afraid that I don't know anything about the bees in the swarm consisting of those who have been in collisions!  

Lloyd

Lloyd Spear, Owner of Ross Rounds, Inc.
Manufacturer of round comb honey equipment and Sundance pollen traps