# Watch a swarm move into my trap!



## IAmTheWaterbug (Jun 4, 2014)

I caught the whole thing on video, including the hours leading up to it:



I already posted about it, here, but folks are suggesting that the Swarm folks might be more excited about it .

Does anyone see the queen marching in? RedBarn has seen her, but I haven't yet.


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## RedBarn (May 31, 2017)

RedBarn thinks I got her going in, but the jury is out till other people watch and comment !

Bug, I am amazed you are not asking for the exact time I see her ! That would drive me crazy if I was you !


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## SmokeyHill (Feb 6, 2018)

In the other thread you were wondering how far away the swarm ball was. I believe you estimated the quorum left about 30 minutes before the swarm arrived at the trap. I’ll just use that number for my estimate:
First, let me say I know nothing about bees or swarms as I am getting my first nucs later this spring. I am basing my estimate on my knowledge of how females act. My authority on this matter comes from the facts:
1.	I have a wife.
2.	I have 4 daughters, all grown, the youngest starting college soon.
3.	I have 24 laying hens (obviously all female).
4.	I have a female dog.
5.	I have two female cats.
6.	I have two granddaughters.
And my co-workers wonder why I have little hair…I digress…anyway…
I have to assume a 5 minute max flight time. I base this on the following:
Me: “Honey, I’m going to run down to Tractor Supply for a box of screws. Do you want to come?”
Wife: “Yeah, I’ll go. Give me a minute.”
So, she has to brush her hair, check her make-up, put on her shoes, find her keys (even though I have mine), post on facebook that she’s leaving, pet her cat, check the dogs water, put on her jacket, find her purse, and go out the door (after double checking that it’s locked). Once outside she realizes that she put her phone down on the table while she was putting on her jacket and has to fish her keys out of her purse, unlock the door and go back inside to get her phone. Once back outside (after double checking to make sure the door is locked again), she sees her cat in the window. It’s so cute she has to take a picture of it and post it to facebook. Finally, we can get in the car and go.
This takes about 20 minutes.
So, 5 minutes flight time, 20 minutes to get ready to go, then another 5 minutes flight time. According to Google, bees fly at an average speed of 10-20 mph. I’ll use 15 mph. A five-minute flight at 15 mph equates to 1.25 miles.
Since it’s never a straight shot, I’ll guess the swarm ball was about a mile away.


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## IAmTheWaterbug (Jun 4, 2014)

RedBarn said:


> RedBarn thinks I got her going in, but the jury is out till other people watch and comment !
> 
> Bug, I am amazed you are not asking for the exact time I see her ! That would drive me crazy if I was you !


I'm going to watch one more time, at 1/4 speed, to see if I can spot her. Then I'll give up and ask!


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## IAmTheWaterbug (Jun 4, 2014)

SmokeyHill said:


> In the other thread you were wondering how far away the swarm ball was.


:lpf::lpf::lpf::lpf::lpf:



> I believe you estimated the quorum left about 30 minutes before the swarm arrived at the trap.


I'm actually not sure about the time of the quorum. I don't see anything that looks like a coordinated departure of a bunch of scouts. 

Does anyone else see such a thing? I just see the number of scouts steadily decreasing until there are only 1-2 left. Then a few minutes later 10,000 - 20,000 bees show up.

But at some point the scouts must have jointly decided, "This is it!" and I would have expected them to leave together.


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## Tim KS (May 9, 2014)

SmokeyHill said:


> In the other thread you were wondering how far away the swarm ball was. I believe you estimated the quorum left about 30 minutes before the swarm arrived at the trap. I’ll just use that number for my estimate:
> First, let me say I know nothing about bees or swarms as I am getting my first nucs later this spring. I am basing my estimate on my knowledge of how females act. My authority on this matter comes from the facts:
> 1.	I have a wife.
> 2.	I have 4 daughters, all grown, the youngest starting college soon.
> ...


I have to concur with this estimate...although my female count differs a bit...I have only three daughters, but add three daughter-in-laws....no chickens or dog at present, but add eight granddaughters and at least 8-10 female cats roaming the barnyard. Now let's get down to the real numbers.....at present 15 colonies of mostly lady bees @ an average of 35k per hive this time of year.....comes to just a bit over half a million girl bees.

I'd add a few minutes to the 'get ready' time for the trip (my wife would need a bit of time to make sure the patio furniture was arranged as usual, and to replace the cover on the BBQ grill that I forgot last night). 

Anyway...I say your estimate is right on. :thumbsup:

BTW.....great video Waterbug. :applause:


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## IAmTheWaterbug (Jun 4, 2014)

IAmTheWaterbug said:


> I'm going to watch one more time, at 1/4 speed, to see if I can spot her. Then I'll give up and ask!


Ok. I give up. 

When/where is she?


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## RedBarn (May 31, 2017)

Ok, this is where & when I think I see her ....

She walks down from the landing board from an inch right of the entrance, walks down in the 7:00 direction, then turns straight up and walks up into the right side of the entrance, maybe an inch left of the right side of entrance. 

Mutch easier to see on computer screen at half speed using the you tube video.

1:06:21


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## RedBarn (May 31, 2017)

Did you see her ?


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## IAmTheWaterbug (Jun 4, 2014)

RedBarn said:


> Did you see her ?


I think so! Is this her? Apologies for the giant screen cap, but this is important!










Click here for that same spot in the video (2:45:05, YouTube time):

[video]https://youtu.be/Zwl-NjRIn6k?t=2h45m5s[/video]


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## RedBarn (May 31, 2017)

I sure think that it is her ! As she comes down, she is longer, more slender, has a different look to her abdomen, gives a waggle, and then seems that others kind of move out of her way and then follow directly behind her. 

I'm not 100% sure, but it sure looks like her to me.


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## RedBarn (May 31, 2017)

That's who I saw !


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## IAmTheWaterbug (Jun 4, 2014)

Now she's easy to spot. See her?










And now even easier:


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## IAmTheWaterbug (Jun 4, 2014)

Fresh eggs!


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## IAmTheWaterbug (Jun 4, 2014)

And the first inspection:


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## RedBarn (May 31, 2017)

She is liking her new digs !!!!!!

Did you mark her ? In the pic you ask " do you see her, I don't see paint


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## IAmTheWaterbug (Jun 4, 2014)

RedBarn said:


> She is liking her new digs !!!!!!
> 
> Did you mark her ? In the pic you ask " do you see her, I don't see paint


Yup! You can sorta barely see the green dot in my second screen capture, when she's in the marking cage. I didn't worry about what color this year is, because it's just me and my little bee yard.

She's not marked in the first screen capture, since that was the first time I saw her during the inspection. But there she is, about one bee to the left and one bee up of dead center on the picture.


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## RedBarn (May 31, 2017)

Cool ! 

She is really easy to spot in your pic !


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## IAmTheWaterbug (Jun 4, 2014)

I caught another one!






This one was weird; they arrived, clustered, got restless, flew away, and then came back and moved in.


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