What does a mating flight look like?

Beekeeping - Basics
1

Hi all,

Newby beek after some advice pls. Split a hive with a friend and 9 days ago, looked in the hive and there were two queen cells - one capped, one open. Haven’t looked in the hive since that day as terrified that I might accidentally squash the queen cells or a new queen!

Today walking past the hive there were lot and lots of bees out the front, buzzing around seeming pretty angry (which is not normal behaviour for this particular hive). They wen’t swarming, just all flying around.

Went back 10 min later, everyone had gone inside except for the usual number of foragers coming in and out.

Could this have been my new queens mating flight?

Thanks all!

2

If you listen closely, you’ll here Barry White songs in the distance. That’s where the mating flights/drone congregation area is lol

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3

Probably too early for a mating flight, Capped at day 8 hatch 16 , plus four days before will do an orientation flight around 6-9 days after hatch is usual time for mating flight depends on weather.

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