Swarm aborted?

[beehappy1950]

Yesterday I had a swarm that landed in a tree about 40 ft. from the hive. It never did build up much on the linb and then started to dwindle. I noticed lots of activity between tree and hive. I noticed a large pile of live bees in front of hive on ground. Soon all was well again. I am convinced I didnt lose any bees but cant figure what happened. Either they aborted a swarm for some reason or God made it happen because I was praying I could catch this one. We are in the middle of a basswood bloom around here. Just wondering if anybody else had this happen. Harold

[BeeMaster2]

It does sound like your bees changed their mind and went back home. They will probably swarm again soon. It might bee that your queen did not loose enough weight to fly or just did not leave. Is she clipped?
Jim

[beehappy1950]

No. Just a young queen from a nuc I bought this spring. I could see it trying to swarm but it was my weakest hive.

[GSF]

I've seen this happen a couple of times. Once they start assembling on the limb you can tell if the queen is there. If she is there the swarm will be hanging there just chilling. If she isn't then the cluster will seem nervous or adjutated(sp). I'm thinking either the queen never left the box, didn't go far and returned or something. I saw a hive do this 3 days in a row about the same time. When I saw the cluster at ease on the branch in the super they went.

[BeeMaster2]

I was told on this forum years ago that when you look at a swarm, look at the bottom. One with a queen will bee rounded and one that is queenless will bee pointed. The exception to this is a very long hanging swarm where the bees at the bottom are too far from the queen to detect her.
Jimm