I did not get any replies to my questions about two-queen hive configurations.  I have to assume that all the experienced beekeepers are busy working their bees at this time. :))

I was called to perform a colony removal from a house.  The nest was in a hot part of the roof and it appeared the combs collapsed with the previous 24 hours and the queen with the bees absconded.  There were 3 combs of live sealed/open brood and eggs.  And 2 outer combs partly filled with honey and pollen.  Only 10 bees were accounted for.  I have not had a case where adult bees would leave brood behind.  This was a first for me.

Anybody know if abscondig bees form a swarm to look for nest sites or do they leave the old site to go straight to a pre-determined new nest site?

Waldemar
Long Island, NY

PS>  I have been unbelievably busy with swarm and removal calls in the last two weeks.  We had a mild winter and a lot of feral and managed colonies must have come out of it strong to swarm.

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