# Swarm went back to hive



## bartsbees (Jul 20, 2011)

Just saw a hive of my bees swarm and land on a nearby limb.When I went to get my stuff to catch them,they all flew back and went
back into the hive they swarmed from!What happened ?Did queen not swarm with them?What should I do?Any help appreciated!thanks Bart


----------



## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

They were practicing. I would set a hive box up near to where the practice swarm landed with drawn comb if you have any. Set it on top of your tallest ladder or something.


----------



## bartsbees (Jul 20, 2011)

Thanks Ray! I will do that!


----------



## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

bartsbees said:


> What happened ?Did queen not swarm with them?


That. Happens if the queen cannot fly. Takes the swarm maybe 20 minutes or so to realise the queen is not with them and they return home.

What usually happens in these cases is they make another attempt or two over the following days, and the queen gets chased around so much with bees trying to make her fly that she perishes. The hive then swarms properly when the first virgins hatch from the swarm cells.

Or sometimes the queen crawls along the ground a few yards or goes under the hive, and a swarm cluster forms there.


----------



## GaryG74 (Apr 9, 2014)

Usually have that happen a couple times every year. They usually swarm again (for real this time) either the next day or two days later and have always clustered in the same place they did the first time. Agree with raymarler's advice, set a hive there and they'll probably go right in.

Good luck.


----------

