# Why do honey bees abscond?



## notaclue (Jun 30, 2005)

Before I became, and until I started my education of beekeeping, I always thought bees stayed where they were put or where they settled. I used to see groups leave their hive and leave others behind but always there were other bees still there.

I've been reading but other than desease and pests in established hives I haven't seen a reason for bees absconding. It seems that captured swarms are more apt to pack up and leave within a day. Do packages abscond also? If they do, is it a high rate? Higher than established hives? Has anyone experimented on ways to try and keep them? 

I was thinking about using a top feeder with HBH and screening in the entrance. I use SBB and was planning on 1/8" shims for venting the top if it's too warm outside. Do you think this may reduce absconding swarms? 

Thanks for reading. I appreciate all you have taught me and all you will be teaching me. You've also helped me expand thinking outside of the box!!! 

David


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

In no particular order...


Lack of food.(starving condition)
Continual disturbances.
Poisoned comb.
Unsatisfactory site.
Queenlessness and broodlessness.
Genetics.
Other...

Not sure if its just a word issue, but absconding and swarming are two different things. Absconding is the complete population of the hive. All bees have left the hive. Except for a stragler or lost bee, all the bees leave. In swarming, it is the natural perpetuating of the species, that being by some of the bees leaving to start a new colony. The old colony is still maintained and is functional.

If you mention swarming or absconding seperately, there is no doubt as to the definition. But when you say "absconding swarms" it raises questions, and not really sure if this is correct.

I guess it could described a hive that absconded, and has swarmed to some other location and is in the process of finding a new home, by having scouts actively looking???

[ December 06, 2005, 05:48 AM: Message edited by: BjornBee ]


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Do packages abscond also?

Sometimes.

>If they do, is it a high rate?

I've had one do it in 31 years out of 30 packages or so.

>Higher than established hives?

I've only had one established hive abscond in that same period. I have no idea why.

>Has anyone experimented on ways to try and keep them? 

If you're talking about installing a package or hiving a swarm, the most common method is to put an excluder on the bottom for a few days, so the queen can't leave, until they settle in. The only danger is leaving it too long if it's a virgin queen from an afterswarm.

All in all I've had few enough of them abscond that I just don't worry about it. A drop of lemongrass oil seems to help because it simulates the nasonov pheromone.

>I was thinking about using a top feeder with HBH and screening in the entrance. I use SBB and was planning on 1/8" shims for venting the top if it's too warm outside. Do you think this may reduce absconding swarms? 

I'm not sure I follow you. A feeder won't hurt. IMO some lemograss oil (which is in the HBH) will help. Are you trying to confine the bees? I think this is a bad idea and I don't think it will help. Although confining them in a dark cool place (like a basement) might help. Putting them in old equipment that smells like a hive will help. Some old comb that smells like a hive will help.


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## Aspera (Aug 1, 2005)

A wet hive interior (leaky feeder) caused one of my packages to abscond.


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## tecumseh (Apr 26, 2005)

many years back there were a number of prominent beekeepers that thought that the introduction of hybridized african stock was the cause of absconding in much of the queen rearing area of the mississippi delta...

I find that here in texas that bees located at or near the ground level are very likely to abscond due to fire ants..

lack of resourses is a prime reason for packages to swarm, so your instinct is correct in that feeding will reduce this possibility. be aware that robbing (often time created by the feeding of suger water-see aspera comment above) will increase the likelyhood of absconding.


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## dickm (May 19, 2002)

AHB have it in their makeup to stay awhile and move on. Bjorn covered this under starvation. They are engineered for the desert where forage may be few and far between. When the current bloom dries up they just naturally move on.

Dickm


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## notaclue (Jun 30, 2005)

Thanks for the education. My main curiousity was how to minumize absconding and if there was any way to watch for warning signs.

But also can I make it more 'homey' for them to minumize the chance of absconding?

I hope that makes sense. Thanks again everyone!!

David


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## clintonbemrose (Oct 23, 2001)

Just Because No reason other than the grass was greener some where else.
Clint


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