Two Bee or Not Two bee

[brewmaster15]

Definitely more than two bees... Hey Jacob....thought of you when I saw this swarm!

Came upon a Honey bee swarm in my Back yard. They were covering an old post. Ran in grabbed the camera and snapped a few pics....then off they went like a tornado.. most of the swarm left, I think theres a few hundred bees going in and out of the post. Hard to believe there a nest in there but it sure seems like it. I have never seen such a sight or heard such a buzzing. Neighbor in the back got scared as the swarm flew over them while he was power washing. Feral/wild honey bees are not that common here in CT. I have always looked for nests on my hikes and never found one..Imagine my surprise to have it in my back yard!

Two Bee or not two Bee by Al Sabetta, on Flickr


BUZZZZZ!!! by Al Sabetta, on Flickr


And we are off!! by Al Sabetta, on Flickr


the nest...maybe...

IMGP8034 by Al Sabetta, on Flickr

[fljones3]

Amazing. Never seen a swarm like that. Will they come back?

[brewmaster15]

No Frank .. they went off to start a new nest. Theres definitely a hive still in the post though..I watched them going in and out.
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[jwcarlson]

There's almost always a few stragglers left behind when a swarm moves on. I would guess they're just looking for their buddies, not an actual nest. Unless you see them carrying pollen in. Looks like a 4x4? Cool thing is they might use that post multiple times in a year to bivouac. They might swarm 5 or 6 times if they are truly feral or unmanaged. Swarms would get smaller, typically.

https://youtu.be/dg565SqB-Wk?si=ghwQ96weAE_uUnvE

https://youtube.com/shorts/3AOINlNeZ...d4CMna2hBd4SJ6

Couple of my swarm exploits over the years.

[brewmaster15]

That short was hilarious Jacob!


I will keep an eye on the post but from the activity its looking like it may be nest. Its not your typical post.. its actually likely got a hollow area as it was reused treehouse rafters.

I like the idea of a hive being in the yard but that post is the corner post of an old chicken run I plan on redoing.

[jwcarlson]

Never say never, I suppose. But honey bees typically want at least a 40 liters of volume. And it's relatively uncommon for them to bivouac where the colony is. Of course I'm not there so what do I know.

Swarming and the voting process that bees use to arrive at the best place for a new home is absolutely fascinating. Tom Seeley has a great book called Honeybee Democracy that's all about it. Very interesting. They have a method by which to measure volume and myriad other parameters and the better it is the more excitedly they dance for their location. And they never recruit more than once... so they get one pitch and then subsequent waves will do the same scouting and come back with their reports. You witnessed the swarm right before consensus was reached. Then they do as you witnessed, massive lift off. The fact they stayed gone means the queen must have made it with them. Or at least to somewhere else. A swarm might go as many as 6 or 7 miles away to start a new nest.

[brewmaster15]

Thanks for all that info Jacob. I have a soft spot for social insects. Truly amazing creatures!

40 liters is definitely more than I think they have there..maybe at best.. half that. I'll let you know what what as soon as the dust there settles. Maybe its just as you said ..bivouac spot. That would make my life much easier!

Al

[jwcarlson]

Sometimes the stragglers stick around awhile. But in theory the swarming colony is nearby and they end up drifting back home relatively shortly.

The longer video was a swarm where I walked up as they were lifting off from the rhubarb. So, basically, I missed out unless I could find the queen. I'm a decent queen spotter. I did find her, grabbed her, and tossed her in a cage and then put her in the box. When bees are flying there are "runners" who keep track of the queen and communicate to the swarm the queen's presence by flying faster through the cloud. If they lose her they circle back until they find her. So me and the kids sat and watched as the cloud came back in. It's a very interesting experience.

[brewmaster15]

Still a ton of bees on the post and in the air here. I got tagged a few times as I got too close today. The more I look at it the less I can see a nest being there.. but it looks like a smaller swarm has formed.

IMGP8086.jpg


IMGP8090.jpg


Its odd because theres definitely alot in the air flying to and from the post in various directions.

[jwcarlson]

It could be a secondary swarm, Al. They will sometimes swarm basically every day if they have a glut of virgin queens. Sometimes swarming with maybe a dozen or so virgins. Some virgins might actually fly and mate from the clustered swarm depending on how long it takes to find a suitable home. It does seem like a bit more left over than would be normal for swarm leftovers. The bees coming and going could be scouts looking for somewhere to go.

The longer bees hang around in a swarm the more upset they get. Swarms are usually really docile, but they burn through honey staying warm/dry and once they start getting hungry their patience starts wearing thin.

Hopefully they move on and don't sting you any more! I wouldn't mow in that general area for awhile.

[brewmaster15]

lol.. don't worry I won't

[Second Hand Pat]

That too cool Al. So are you hoping there will be a bee nest there or not. I'm guessing no.
Pat

[brewmaster15]

Im happy to have honey bees in the yard.. just not there.

[brewmaster15]

Mini swarm is still there this morning. Its overcast and cool here now so theres not alot of activity.. a few sluggish bees. I literally walked up to the swarm about 4 feet away and took a pic with my phone.

20240430_081443.jpg

[brewmaster15]

Jacob how long will a swarm stick around?

20240503_132855.jpg

The mini swarm is still there.