Swarm on Ground

[sc-bee]

I received a call from my next door neighbor that she has what looks like a swarm of honey bees on the ground. I called and they said I have a pile of what looks like honey bees on the ground. I asked, on a low limb and he said no, wide open middle of the yard on the ground. It was after dark so I walked over and indeed a swarm was on the ground the size of a small pizza, about 3-4 inches thick.  I poke them a little in the wad and they just stayed put... so I went and got an old nuc put a couple drops of LGO in it and scooped them up and placed them in the box. None even got airborne as I scooped them to the box. Got a couple scoops in the box and they filed in. No idea if I got the queen or the LGO was drawing them? Went over to check early am in dark and a couple small wads still on the ground (100 or so bees in each wad). The rest were in the box. I stirred the wad a little and pushed them to the entrance and left for work.

Well I did not tell the neighbors, but I picked up a swarm late Tues eve and they absconded. I don't know but I am thinking this may be the same swarm. No I don't have them branded but just too much of a coincidence. They were about 30 yards across the hedges from where I hied them the first times. They were on the ground no trees or shrubs within 10-15 yards.

 What you think hurt queen? Pesticide?  Or What?

[iddee]

You asked what I think, not what I know, so take it that way. Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning until Friday night is too long to sit on the ground. I think it's a different swarm and they left the hive before she was slimmed down enough or she is clipped.

[sc-bee]

You asked what I think, not what I know, so take it that way. Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning until Friday night is too long to sit on the ground. I think it's a different swarm and they left the hive before she was slimmed down enough or she is clipped.

Well I am not sure which day they left the box for sure as I did not check back on them immediately but I agree probably not. Clipped queen, naw.... no hived bees around not even at my house. I dropped the nuc off at home that day because I had to go in to work. Two slimmed down to fly... ok... buy that. Will see how they do anyway...

[sc-bee]

Well I get back home yesterday eve and they are out on the ground again... must be queenless ?

[BeeMaster2]

SC,
I had a situation like this last year.
I received a call about a swarm on a fence. After talking to him for a while admits he tried to burn them and almost burned the fence down. They fought the 🔥 for an hour. When I got there they were on an un burned section of fence. Put a nuc next to them and left. The next day they were on the ground. I moved the nuc to the ground. When I came back. I found a hand full of bees 50' away and I found a virgin queen in the middle of it and the rest of the bees in the other nuc.
I took 2 boxes home. They both stayed in the boxes.
2 nights later at dusk a large swarm came to my apiary and I watched it take over both nucs. The next day they all moved into the nuc with the hand full of bees.  The following day they were all gone.
I should have caged the queens. They may have stayed ant it would have protected them.
Jim

[sc-bee]

SC,
I should have caged the queens. They may have stayed ant it would have protected them.
Jim

I looked but did not see a queen. Not sure I would have in the wad of bees anyway. I had a beek friend who had a queen she caged and gave me. The wad of bees mobbed the queen cage when I presented the queen. I am not good at spoting aggression on a queen cage but they did not seem to be holding on with vengeance. I could brush them around on the cage with my finger.

 I left the caged queen in the box to see how they are going to act toward her and see if they stay in the box with her. I am thinking if they stay put with the in the box with the caged queen they were queenless.  If I get back to them ond they are on the ground again another issue. Your thoughts?

The first night they were calm and gentle on the ground when I hived them. I felt sure they would have been again last night.... Noootttt Guess they hit the dry swarm stage. I sprtized them a little and made sure they had feed.

[cao]

The first night they were calm and gentle on the ground when I hived them. I felt sure they would have been again last night.... Noootttt Guess they hit the dry swarm stage. I sprtized them a little and made sure they had feed.

I have found in my little experience that a swarm will accept the first bump or shake but after that they get mad.

[sc-bee]

The first night they were calm and gentle on the ground when I hived them. I felt sure they would have been again last night.... Noootttt Guess they hit the dry swarm stage. I sprtized them a little and made sure they had feed.

I have found in my little experience that a swarm will accept the first bump or shake but after that they get mad.

It has a lot to do with ho long they have been hanging and how feed up they are when they leave... thus a dry swarm..

[BeeMaster2]

SC,
I agree, I was called in to remove a swarm from a bush right next to the back of a house. The owner said that they had been there for 5 days. That was the meanest swarm I have ever dealt with. My friends wife came to see them and I told her to stay in the car, about 75' from the hive. She didn't listen and the minute she opened the door they nailed her. They probably used all of their honey by then with no home to show for it.
Jim

[GSF]

I have found in my little experience that a swarm will accept the first bump or shake but after that they get mad. ditto. Some of my swarms this year came out of the aggressive hives. They were stinging me as I walked up.

[BeeMe]

2 nights later at dusk a large swarm came to my apiary and I watched it take over both nucs. The next day they all moved into the nuc with the hand full of bees.  The following day they were all gone.
I should have caged the queens. They may have stayed ant it would have protected them.

Could the big swarm have been Afro-American.  I have not seen a takeover but have heard it happens.

[BeeMaster2]

2 nights later at dusk a large swarm came to my apiary and I watched it take over both nucs. The next day they all moved into the nuc with the hand full of bees.  The following day they were all gone.
I should have caged the queens. They may have stayed ant it would have protected them.

Could the big swarm have been Afro-American.  I have not seen a takeover but have heard it happens.

It could be but probably not. The only African hives that we get in this area are from commercial hives and they do not place there hives within 30 miles of this location.
Jim

[sc-bee]

The swam would not stay in a box and continued to be on the ground about 15 yards from the nuc. I added a queen and ending up having only a half frame of bees or so. The nuc is still in my backyard with the queen and now has a small bread. I basically gave it a couple frames of honey and walked away back in April. I need to go in and see what I have ;)