Swarm

[user 24354]

Hi all.New to the site so thanks for accepting me.Could someone tell me what type of bees these are,or are they something other?On Monday I went out my back to do stuff in the garden & could hear a very loud buzzing noise.I thought it was someone in another garden doing some work but the noise was really loud & a low humming sort of noise.When I went around the front of the house to see what the noise was I was met with a huge swarm flying back & forth between houses.They were about the height of a house flying back & forth in a frenzy with a really loud noise.I went back inside more so for my own safety & after about 15mins they swarmed onto my front fence & then into my front hedge where they’ve formed a ball.Very hard to see in the hedge as they sort of blend in with the brown.I’ve posted a pic & would appreciate it if someone can tell me if they are actually bees.Closest I can see is the honey bee.

 

[E&MBees]

They are honey bees. Some look in very poor condition though.

 

[user 24354]

They are honey bees. Some look in very poor condition though.

Thank you for the reply.From Monday night it’s done nothing but rained & they weren’t very well sheltered where they settled so looks like most of them have perished.Any reason as to why the massive swarm as in flying around in a frenzy then deciding to settle on my fence & into the hedge?

 

[BugsInABox]

Thank you for the reply.From Monday night it’s done nothing but rained & they weren’t very well sheltered where they settled so looks like most of them have perished.Any reason as to why the massive swarm as in flying around in a frenzy then deciding to settle on my fence & into the hedge?

They were just camping out whilst they looked for a permanent home. If the rain didn’t wash them away they may have moved on leaving behind a few stragglers or latecomers.
They are actually quite valuable maybe £100 or so if you’d got someone to catch them.

 

[user 24354]

They were just camping out whilst they looked for a permanent home. If the rain didn’t wash them away they may have moved on leaving behind a few stragglers or latecomers.
They are actually quite valuable maybe £100 or so if you’d got someone to catch them.

Thanks for that.Hard to judge how many there was but when I initially heard the noise & seen what was in the sky I ran inside!I did read that they’ve perhaps left a larger colony with a new queen & maybe were resting up or the queen has rested up & they followed.It never stopped raining since Monday night & they weren’t really covered that well & on top of that it’s been unusually cold as well.Loads of them just lying in the garden now from where they’ve dropped down from the hedge.

 

[BugsInABox]

Thanks for that.Hard to judge how many there was but when I initially heard the noise & seen what was in the sky I ran inside!I did read that they’ve perhaps left a larger colony with a new queen & maybe were resting up or the queen has rested up & they followed.It never stopped raining since Monday night & they weren’t really covered that well & on top of that it’s been unusually cold as well.Loads of them just lying in the garden now from where they’ve dropped down from the hedge.

Oh dear that’s sad. I don’t know if it’s worth inverting a laundry basket or something over them to see if they’ve enough left in them to crawl in - I don’t hold out much hope though; someone who knows better than me will advise shortly.

It’s pretty spectacular when they arrive one of natures great sites and sounds. I’ve caught 3 swarms over the the last few years and it never gets old.
Generally they are not aggressive when in swarm mode as they’ve nothing to defend.

 

[enrico]

Swarms have two parts. First part about half of a hive will leave with a single older queen to set up home elsewhere, it is their way to reproduce and continue the species. That group will settle in a hedge or on a branch until a few scout bees find a new home. They may stay at this resting place for a couple of hours or a couple of weeks but generally they successfully move on to their new home ( second part)
This group obviously hit bad times and have got wet and chilled. It happens which is sad. If you ever see another swarm which is likely as their resting place is often used by other swarms from the same hive, watch where they go and ring a local beekeeper. They will be very grateful.
Thanks for taking the time to post your observations

 

[ericbeaumont]

went back inside more so for my own safety

You could take your clothes off and walk through a swarm and nothing would happen; swarms are benign (unless starving) and in terms of risk, the opposite of public perception.

What have you done to hive them?

 

[ericbeaumont]

actually quite valuable maybe £100 or so

Not really. A swarm is an unknown quantity and can turn into a liability easily: disease status unknown, true temper unknown.

Park it in a £60 poly nuc, put in £20 of frames, maybe feed it; watch brood regularly, deal with supersedure (failed)...

 

[Erichalfbee]

You could take your clothes off and walk through a swarm and nothing would happen; swarms are benign (unless starving) and in terms of risk, the opposite of public perception.

One of our hives swarmed into a neighbours hedge once when we lived in Cumbria. My party trick was to put my bare hand into the middle of them

 

[BugsInABox]

You could take your clothes off and walk through a swarm and nothing would happen; swarms are benign (unless starving) and in terms of risk, the opposite of public perception.

What have you done to hive them?

Unless they caught in your hair.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Unless they caught in your hair.

Even then they're no trouble; once in a season a swarm bee may sting, but I believe that an involuntary event.

Starving swarm, stuck out in bad weather, or one queenless, is a prickly proposition.

 

[madasafish]

You could take your clothes off and walk through a swarm and nothing would happen; swarms are benign (unless starving) and in terms of risk, the opposite of public perception.

What have you done to hive them?

Err I was stung by a cast swam this am: up trousers near a delicate position...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Err I was stung by a cast swam this am: up trousers near a delicate position...

I've had stings from swarming bees more than once

 

[judy12]

It's probably a bit late now, but bees can manage in the rain better than I wd have thought. One October morning I was called out to what the householder said was a swarm - a sodden heap, 2 handfuls on the path - had been there all night in the pouring rain. I stirred it with my finger, one waved her antennae at me so I picked them all up, took them home in my skep, sat it upside down on a hot water bottle on the kitchen table, dribbled over a spoonful of honey, covered them with a sheet and went to art group. Phone call from husband, rushed home to find kitchen swirling with furious bees. Put on my suit, opened the window and off they went.

 

[madasafish]

It's probably a bit late now, but bees can manage in the rain better than I wd have thought. One October morning I was called out to what the householder said was a swarm - a sodden heap, 2 handfuls on the path - had been there all night in the pouring rain. I stirred it with my finger, one waved her antennae at me so I picked them all up, took them home in my skep, sat it upside down on a hot water bottle on the kitchen table, dribbled over a spoonful of honey, covered them with a sheet and went to art group. Phone call from husband, rushed home to find kitchen swirling with furious bees. Put on my suit, opened the window and off they went.

Funny you should write that.

Had a Q- nuc with laying workers. Turfed them all out Thursday expecting them to find new homes. Still on a pile on grass yesterday so covered with nuc box. Still there this am.
So opened up weak nuc, sprayed with air freshener, sprayed remains of nuc with air freshener and united them . no fighting...

Weather conditions: overcast , max 17C, damp , occasional summer rain. (where is the sun?_)