-=> Quoting Int:[log in to unmask] to Watchman <=- >Discussion of Bee Biology,[log in to unmask],Internet writes: >>selecting a home-site In> Tim Sterrett wrote: ...> <<<<< Much interesting stuff clipped for bandwidth - follow this thred back >>>>> In> No less fascinating is the fact that once a swarm takes off and finds In> a new cavity in which to live, the bees "forget" about the parent hive In> location. In> If you try to move a hive or a bunch of supers some short distance In> from their original location, though, your bees will return en masse to In> that site. They are locked onto that location. Something mysterious In> happens in swarm-bees that causes them to rearrange their whole "map" In> of home and landmarks. Their reference point is no longer their former In> address, but the new site instead. It's like they have immediate In> autonomy and a "clean slate" once they are out of the parent hive from In> which they issued. In> Any info appreciated on this stuff. Many thanks, JWG This summer I found this out the hard way. I had to move my hive (I'm a beginner) about three feet in order to lower the hive stand. (I don't like working supers from a ladder!) The move was three to four feet to the right. Sure enough the bees were returning to the old location and having great problems finding the door. Also, more bees were still taking flight. While working on the stand I noticed that a bee passing within 3 ro 4 inches of the hive entrance would find its way in. Any greater distance and it would be ignored. After about twenty minutes I finished my changes and returned the hive to the old location, but now 18" lower. I saw the bees would fly up against the side of the hive at the old door height and then buzz up and down until they went in. normally about 30 seconds. All of the 'wandering lost' were back in the hive within 5 minutes. My question: Has anybody ever observed a hive swarm to a new hive of a distance less than two miles from the original hive? Is there a minimum distance beyond which bees automatically make a new map? Is it related to a change in the earths magnetic field by being moved/moving? That experiment where bees are placed in neighboring wine casks, one with a metal jacket surrounding it has fascinated me. The 'normal' cast has all combs paralell. The 'jacketed' cask (magneticly blocked) has combs built every which way. Watchman @qwick.net Carl Powell ... Warning: Do not reuse tagline. Discard safely after use. ___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.20