-=> Quoting Int:[log in to unmask] to Watchman <=-
 
 >Discussion of Bee Biology,[log in to unmask],Internet writes:
 >>selecting a home-site
 In> Tim Sterrett wrote: ...>
 
<<<<< Much interesting stuff clipped for bandwidth -
                                        follow this thred back >>>>>
 
 In> No less fascinating is the fact that once a swarm takes off and finds
 In> a new cavity in which to live, the bees "forget" about the parent hive
 In> location.
 In> If you try to move a hive or a bunch of supers some short distance
 In> from their original location, though, your bees will return en masse to
 In> that site.  They are locked onto that location.    Something mysterious
 In> happens in swarm-bees that causes them to rearrange their whole "map"
 In> of home and landmarks.  Their reference point is no longer their former
 In> address, but the new site instead.  It's like they have immediate
 In> autonomy and a "clean slate" once they are out of the parent hive from
 In> which they issued.
 In> Any info appreciated on this stuff.       Many thanks,  JWG
 
This summer I found this out the hard way. I had to move my hive (I'm a
beginner) about three feet in order to lower the hive stand. (I don't like
working supers from a ladder!) The move was three to four feet to the right.
Sure enough the bees were returning to the old location and having great
problems finding the door. Also, more bees were still taking flight. While
working on the stand I noticed that a bee passing within 3 ro 4 inches of
the hive entrance would find its way in. Any greater distance and it would be
ignored. After about twenty minutes I finished my changes and returned the
hive to the old location, but now 18" lower. I saw the bees would fly up
against the side of the hive at the old door height and then buzz up and down
until they went in. normally about 30 seconds. All of the 'wandering lost'
were back in the hive within 5 minutes.
        My question: Has anybody ever observed a hive swarm to a new hive
of a distance less than two miles from the original hive? Is there a minimum
distance beyond which bees automatically make a new map? Is it related to a
change in the earths magnetic field by being moved/moving? That experiment
where bees are placed in neighboring wine casks, one with a metal jacket
surrounding it has fascinated me. The 'normal' cast has all combs paralell.
The 'jacketed' cask (magneticly blocked) has combs built every which way.
 
Watchman        @qwick.net
Carl Powell
 
 
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