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False Swarm… and Bees Coming Home

We’re in the first week of February – and today was in the low 70’s (F). One of my nuc hives that I overwintered had an unusually high amount of activity around it today.

I noticed a LOT of bees circulating around a spot that where the nuc had originally placed at about 3-4 weeks ago.  So many – that I thought that the bees were swarming – so placed a nuc within a foot or two of where the bees were flying. Some started to enter the nuc (which had a frame of old-comb in it) – but the swarm decided to move on. A few minutes later – all the activity was back to the original box that they came from.

This particular nuc has tended to be one of the more aggressive colony of bees of all that I have in this particular spot. I opened up their box yesterday to check as to whether a queen was present, and if so – if she was laying eggs/brood yet.

After pulling the first frame, both hands had about 100-200 bees on EACH hand. Stinging – not just warning me. Glad I was wearing my 9-mil industrial latex gloves! I’ll feed some nectar tomorrow – and will hopefully have more mellow bees the next time I fire up the smoker to check on them.

In other apiary news – I’ll be bringing all the bees from one of my out-yards back to the city.  I’ll be doing some queen-rearing on my own to increase the number of hives in my bee-yard, and it’ll be convenient to have the eggs, larvae and brood at quick arm’s length to do the work.

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