Subject: Re: swarms

From: [email-masked] (Anthony Wallis)
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 1994 11:04:10 GMT

[ That subject line caught my eye.  Why is someone posting about swarming
  in October !?  Yup, northern-hemisphere chauvinism on my part. ]

> ..what d' bees take with em when they swarm??
> I know they all eat lots an lots of honey before they leave, but most of 
> this must get used up looking for a new hive site.

No. The energy-economics of this is well understood.  Swarming is
a two-stage progress.  They first cluster nearby.  Due to the
square-cube relation, this reduces heat loss.  A small minority
of bees scout for a new site and there is some sort of
"voting" process at the cluster.  Then they all head for the new
sit at once.

> Do they forage as they go?  Or do they find a site first then start
> foraging?

Recall that they forage for nectar to concentrate into honey. In terms
of energy-economics it makes more sense for the scouts to "refuel"
>from  their sisters at the swarm cluster.

> If it takes about four times as much (by wieght or volume, I'm not sure 
> which) honey to make wax, how are they able to make so much wax so fast?

Recall that they swarm when the "honey flow" is about to start.
They (i.e. evolution/God) are not stupid.  They have enough honey with
them to "bootstrap" the construction of a new nest.

> If it is the "old" bees and queen that leave  ..

The queen is the old queen, but the workers that go with her are
a cross-section - not necessarily mainly experienced field bees.
Workers generally go through a division-of-labour sequence
      nursery bees -> house bees (inc. guards) -> field bees
and the new colony is going to need all "age groups".

--
[email-masked] = Tony Wallis, York University, North York, Canada.

---

From: [email-masked] (Adrian Graham DENT - Rodent)
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 1994 05:49:28 GMT

I got to thinkin' this mornin'.  It's swarmin' season hereabouts, and I was 
wonderin', what d' bees take withem when they swarm??

I know they all eat lots an lots of honey before they leave, but most of 
this must get used up looking for a new hive site.  Do they forage as they 
go?  Or do they find a site first then start foraging?
If it takes about four times as much (by wieght or volume, I'm not sure 
which) honey to make wax, how are they able to make so much wax so fast?
Do they take any pollen with them, and if not, how soon after they are 
settled are they able to start brood rearing?  If it is the "old" bees and 
queen that leave, is there, like, a generation gap?...I mean, do they have a 
temporary loss in production between when the oldies die out and when the 
youngies are ready to fly?
and I guess most importantly of all...does anybody know (or care) any of 
these answers??
Adrian.