Thanks for the responses and references. There is some confusion to what I originally wrote (I had to go back and look). The swarm was still in the process of flying/swarming, it had not clustered yet, flying higher and higher when we started tanging and the bees came swirling down to where we were standing outside the apiary, and bivouacked on a branch about 10 feet up from us. Whether it’s scientific or not, it was still an amazing spectacle to see. I do realize that the Bee Culture article was absconding due to slime, but the beekeeper still tanged and it brought the bees back. I will keep those old metal bird feeders we used for tanging out near the apiary to use again if the occasion arises (hopefully not).
Deb C
Western Catskills NY
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