Is there a specific smell of a colony before swarming?

Yesterday I was visiting an old and very knowledgeable beekeeper friend (
www.apefiori.cl). While walking on his bee yard I noticed a pleasant smell
dificult to describe with words (as most smells I imagine). I said to him :
it must be necting, can you smell the honey?. And he said: that is not
honey, that is the smell of swarming!!

Today on one 100 colonies bee yard of mine I smell each hive entrance and
mark each colony with that particular smell I have learned the day before.
Then I inspected those 7 hives and vuala, the queen were on the second body
and the colony was building queen cells.

Any one have noticed that particular smell? Why could that be?


-- 
Juanse Barros J.
APIZUR S.A.
Carrera 695
Gorbea - CHILE
+56-45-271693
08-3613310
http://apiaraucania.blogspot.com/
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