I had a message from the clerk to say there was a swarm of bees on her lawn. Judging by the colour of the bees in the accompanying photo they weren't from my apiary plus I am running out of spare equipment. I suggested she contact the other beekeeper in the village but he wasn't immediately available. So curiosity impelled me to go round for a look.
We found a cardboard box, cut an entrance hole then I scooped a few handfuls of bees into the box, closed the lid then set it down next to the swarm with the entrance facing the bees. Bees gathered around the entrance fanning determinedly. The march into the box began.
Most of the bees had gone into the box when the other beekeeper turned up. He decided to come back later when the stragglers had gone inside so we turned to leave.
A scout must have found a more desirable site and returned with the message as the bees changed their minds and came back out, formed a swirling cloud and departed over the rooftop in a North East direction.
Some you win. Some you lose. :-(
We found a cardboard box, cut an entrance hole then I scooped a few handfuls of bees into the box, closed the lid then set it down next to the swarm with the entrance facing the bees. Bees gathered around the entrance fanning determinedly. The march into the box began.
Most of the bees had gone into the box when the other beekeeper turned up. He decided to come back later when the stragglers had gone inside so we turned to leave.
A scout must have found a more desirable site and returned with the message as the bees changed their minds and came back out, formed a swirling cloud and departed over the rooftop in a North East direction.
Some you win. Some you lose. :-(
