Yesterday I was fortunate enough to be home when my swarmy hive finally
swarmed. It was the first swarm I had seen on the move! It sure is a lot of bees
in the air at one time. I had expected a tighter formation, but it was still
very impressive.
 
        It was a beautiful day and they left at about 1:15, sunny, high 60's
with a brisk wind. The swarm was settling at the top os a 25 foot spruce tree on
the trunk, not on the end of a limb. I knew it would be next to impossible to
ever get this swarm so I decided to try to convince them to move to a "better"
spot by shaking the tree.
 
        Perched on the top of a step ladder leaning against the tree, the
shaking just spread the swarm down over about 6 feet of the trunk. They didn't
really move much. Another approach was needed. I was preparing to try a frame of
open brood on a long pole. I had cobbled together an arrangement and was about
to get the frame of brood when I decided that have the bees in the air again
might improve my chances of attracting them to the frame.
 
        It had been about 30 to 40 minutes since the initial shaking. The bees
had settled into a large cluster, still very inaccessible. I gave the tree a
good firm shake and they were in the air once again.
 
        I stood and watched to see where they would settle and what do you know,
they returned to the hive!!
 
        I didn't see the queen at anytime. I have a number of questions:
 
        Is this a strategy, bothering the swarm cluster, for getting them to
come back to the hive?
 
        Will the queen return to the hive in this type of situation?
 
        Did the bess "think/experience" that the didn't have a queen and call
off the swarm due to the breaking of the cluster numerous times?
 
        Can I expect this hive to swarm again in a day or two?
 
        I would appreciate comments from others who have experienced similar
behavior.
 
        Regards,
 
        Jim Moore
        Second Year
        4 hives, (1 tbh), 1 nuc.