Hello Jim & All,
 Any other
> ideas?
>
I guess now is as good a time to approach the list on a subject I have
known about since the start of CCD.

Are the hives so late in season swarming or abscounding? David Hackenberg
suspects abscounding. David has spoke of huge numbers of hives hitting the
trees at a time when its rare. Looks like swarming as all bees do not
leave with the swarm.

David asked me my opinion. Well its been almost two years since I was
asked the question and I am still pondering the answer. I have been
keeping bees 48 years and I always considered swarming in very late fall
(Sept.) fairly rare.

I have never seen on the scale David H. and Jim report.

I then posed a question to David H. which I would guess he is still
pondering.
I asked:
How can you tell when a swarm leaves in Sept. if they are swarming or
abscounding?

In both cases it would seem the old queen would leave with part of the bees.

I think its fair to say that in both Jim & Davids cases the bees *might*
be abscounding. David H. seems to think so.

If the bees had absounded it seems logical that what bees left behind
would try and raise a queen. Giving the indication of simply swarming.

Its fair to say we are seeing our bees do things which we know from
experience are normally rare.

bob

****************************************************
* General Information About BEE-L is available at: *
* http://www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/default.htm   *
****************************************************