I've got so many colonies now that I'm nearly out of boxes, and have taken to using old bait boxes and even car tyres as stands.

I forgot to plug-up the holes in one particular bait box, and over the last few days something very odd has taken place. A 'swarm' (if you can still call it that) has moved into this box - only they haven't arrived in the usual cloud of bees around midday(ish) - these have arrived by 'instalments' of tens and twenties right throughout the day.

At first I thought they were scouts, and that the main swarm would arrive in due course - only it hasn't. They're Italian bees, and although I haven't looked inside the box yet, they look to be all mature bees. They're certainly behaving as such: aggressive defending of the entrance as soon as they arrived, plenty of fighting on the landing board that I quickly rigged up, and many were off foraging immediately after their arrival. They're exceptionally well motivated, being up and out at 6 a.m. and still working hard at 8 p.m. Currently they're bringing loads of pollen in - only I'd like to know where they're putting it, as there ain't any combs in that box - only bare Delon frames.

Very strange business. I'm wondering if they've been separated from their parent colony by someone moving a hive during the day ? Anyway, I'll poke my head in and have a looksee on Monday.

LJ