A swarm of bees in June is worth a silver spoon.
A swarm of bees in July is not worth a fly.
I was thrilled when John told me he'd spotted a swarm of honeybees at the edge of one of our fields. We've often seen them browsing on clover but this is the first swarm we've noticed. Thanks to Justin for the pictures! (I have no idea if the video will play.)
The old nursery rhyme is a reminder that the earlier swarms will have more time to establish themselves and make honey to get through the winter.
7 comments:
Do you have a beehive to move them into?
I never knew this could happen.
How cool...you all may become bee keepers now! I'd never heard that poem.
They need a hive box! There is surely somebody in the area who can collect them and give them a place to live. Ask the police and animal control if they know somebody. The bees need to go somewhere safe. My father was a beekeeper and was on a list that police and animal control kept of beekeepers who would go out and collect swarms. He had hives in many places, including fruit orchards in both SC and NC. He harvested and sold the honey.
This happens when a hive is overpopulated and a new queen is born to lead half the bees to a new colony. (Daughter of a beekeeper here.) They need to be in a hive box or a tree cavity to survive. They can't live out in the open this way. This is the initial stage of a hive division, not something permanent.
We have lots of hollow trees. I expect they'll find one.
The only time I've ever seen a swarm was when I was a child and one fastened itself to my grandmother's fencepost. A bee keeper came to collect them. The memory is firmly etched in my mind, I was possibly about 8 at the time. Such excitement!
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