First swarm of 2015

On arriving at the apiary, a swarm was issuing. It was rather a messy affair with lots of bees on the outside of the hive, on the stand and on the ground.

After about 30 minutes, the hive entrance was back to normal and a swarm of about 1.5 kg was clustered the other side of the hedge shown in the background of the photos below. Scouts were investigating the 2-box bait hive on the right.

After another ten minutes or so, the alighting board and front of the bottom box were again covered with hundreds of bees, almost all fanning and exposing Nasonov glands.

The swarm in the hedge was taken into a cardboard box, the box closed, a bee entrance cut in the side, and the box placed in the shade between the hedge and the empty hive on the right in the above photo. An hour before sunset, the swarm was run up a board into the empty hive. The queen was seen running in.

It is likely that at least two queens were involved in this swarm event. One was clearly in the cluster taken into the box, as, from its size, it was most likely a prime swarm. The coating of bees on the front of the parent hive, its stand and the ground could have been part of a mating swarm that was left behind. The fanning/scenting bees could have been be returning bees from the mating swarm.