Scott E. Brooks wrote:

>  I noticed a small swarm-looking cluster of bees, =
> about the size of a baseball hanging from the front of the bottom board. =
>  I took a stick and raked them off.  They were very "clingy" but as I =
> shook them off the stick, they dispersed.  No queen was in the cluster.  =
> Tonight as I came home I observed the same thing, only now both hives =
> were involved.  Has anyone else observed this kind of behavior?  Is this =
> a prelude to a Swarm?  Please help if you can.

Yes, this behavior at this time of the year especially is a sign that a swarm
is imminent.  When they have swarm cells in the hive and act lethargic at the
entrance, be prepared to watch for a swarm.  I was working one of my yards
yesterday, saw a cluster in front of the hive, and within a few minutes it
was in the air.  Now I have a nice new colony filling two hive bodies.

Ted Fischer
Dexter, Michigan USA