Oh wise people of HHO - WTF are these bees doing?

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Fat_Pony

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what on earth is going on here? I need to turn that fence on!
 
They are swarming. If you contact a local bee keeper/club they will come & remove them. Bees are so important & becoming more endangered I would defo advise you google for some local expert advise.
 
merlinsquest said:
They are swarming. If you contact a local bee keeper/club they will come & remove them. Bees are so important & becoming more endangered I would defo advise you google for some local expert advise.
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That ^^ tbh it's good to see them there :)
 
My theory would be to back away quietly and wait for them to depart. Or else to contact your nearest bee keeper - maybe check the phone book or Google etc? Can you set up a replacement section of fencing in the meantime and detach the tape leading to that post without disturbing the bees?
 
I don't mind them at all, but that fence needs to be on in a day or two and I don't want to hurt them. Will they go on their own? I can wait if they won't be long, lol!
 
Fat_Pony said:
There is a guys that keeps bees over the road for his orchard. Could these be his bees?
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I'm sure he'd say yes and be only too glad to take them. If by any chance he says no and wants them see if you can get a cash donation :)
 
They will go as soon as one of the scouts thinks she's found them a suitable nest site. Which is a good reason for looking out your nearest beekeeper asap - they will then divert them to a suitable site in one of their hives rather than in the hollows walls of your stable for example!
 
My friend at work keeps bees, she paid £300 I think for her initial hive, I think most beekeepers will snatch your arm off for a healthy swarm.
 
This usually happens when the swarm becomes to large for the hive and half split off and find a new home.

It's fascinating to watch the bee keeper collect them. I had a swarm try to move into my compost bin and the bee man came out with a cardboard box, a smoker and a big dust sheet. He knocked the queen into the box, propped it upside down and smoked the rest out of the composter. The workers do a dance which wafts pheromones to the rest of the bees and they all follow each other into the box.

Took about an hour and he already had somebody waiting for the swarm in Dorset.

They had only been in the compost bin for 2 days and they had already formed a honeycomb which my neighbour took into her preschool to show the kids.
 
Wow! That's amazing, I've never seen a swarm before :D I love bee's and it's a wee dream of mine to keep them some day, apparently it's incredibly complicated though! :)
 
Another one who thinks speak to your local bee keeper - they are an invaluable friend to have when you have a hive in your stable.

I love love bees - what a fab photo.
 
What a great photo! I love bees' and went on a course to keep them but as said before they really can have a problem with horses.
It's early for them to swarm, usually June, but it has been very mild and plenty of food for them. When they swarm they are at their most docile as they have gorged themselves on honey to see them through the time it takes to rebuild the colony and nest.
I know in my area the Bedfordshire bee keepers would be straight out and have a newbie apiarist eagerly awaiting a swarm.
I hope they find a new purpose built hive as in the wild their chances are slim. Wild bees are pretty rare now.
 
Great photo, although have to admit, I'm slightly scared of bees and really wouldn't know what to do if said photo happened to me! Glad everyone is in enjoyment of bees though.
 
Turns out my next door neighbour has an empty hive she was going to fill this summer. Local bee keeper had been out and collected the swarm and moved them over this evening. Great to watch. And my neighbour is happy as she got free bees. I know they are worth a bit of money so she better provide me with lots of honey!
 
I'd love to have bees!

Unfortunately this is in my sunny idyllic world where I can cook and waft about and have room for a hive and an organic cow. In the real world it would be a bad idea.
 
Capriole said:
I'd love to have bees!

Unfortunately this is in my sunny idyllic world where I can cook and waft about and have room for a hive and an organic cow. In the real world it would be a bad idea.
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Ha! Yes Wafting and Pottering - that's my idyllic world too! I could just potter around all day, eat what I grow and make ice cubes with camomile flowers in!
I hope you get all the free honey you need OP.
 
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