In message  <[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask]
buffalo.edu writes:
> On Mon, 26 Sep 1994, Jerry J Bromenshenk wrote:
>
> > Well, by noon there were several hundred foragers outside the east
> > window, trying to get in where the hives had been 2 weeks before.
>
> Jerry, I've been thinking more on this.  What would be interesting is to
> know what those bees would have done if you had had another (new)
> observation hive inside the window on the above foragers' original stand
> and they could have had access.
>
> Would they have joined the new hive there, tried to rob it, or neither of
> the above.
>
> One would have to mark the bees to find out.  Fascinating!
>
> On a similar note, if a swarm loses its queen, the bees all return to the
> original (parent) hive.  Otherwise they never (so far as we know) go back
> to visit their old friends.  Or do they? :)
>
> W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper
> Rural Route One, Swalwell,  Alberta  Canada T0M 1Y0
> Phone/Fax: 403 546 2588      Email: [log in to unmask]
>
 
Hi,
 
Jerry will probably answer this too.
 
They would go to the new hive, which would  accept  them  provided  they
bring  forage with them.  Bees are pretty magnanimous/opportunistic this
way. They only fight off 'robbers'.
 
Marking bees to test this is not easy -- you would have to mark an awful
lot!   In the U.K. we have various strains of bees (I guess you do too).
I can do the test using a black strain and a yellow  strain  and  I  can
then  clearly  see  the  results.   And  I _don't_ end up with dozens of
'queens' :)
 
--
Gordon Scott    [log in to unmask]         100332,3310 on CompuServe
Newsletter      [log in to unmask]      ditto
                Beekeeper, Kendo Sandan, sometime sailor.
                Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG22 5HP, UK
 
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