[log in to unmask] asks:
> Is there any evidence to indicate that bees scout for a new site prior to
> swarming...

According to Roger Morse, bees will scout a new location days before
swarming.  In fact, Roger claims, scouts will even go so far as to
"stake a claim" to their potentially new site by camping out, even
overnight(!) at the new abode.  This was published in "Bee Culture"
a few years back (haven't a clue what issue).

> Also do the bees show a preference for cedar trees as I find may swarms here
> in CT to be in the top 1/4 of cedar trees.
Dunno - have never seen anything asserting such (which doesn't mean
the assertion hasn't been made, I HAVEN'T seen it all).  Perhaps there
are just a lot of cedar trees in CT. ;-)

Aaron Morris - I think, therefore I bee!