Swarming season

[Popparand]

3 swarms in two days, 5 in seven - same poor guy's garden! Is that a record?

 

[Teebeeaitch]

Mine usually swarm regular as clockwork last week May or first week June. However yesterday the strong hive that arrived as a swarm last year, were up in the air. I watched as usual expecting them to land somewhere but they didn’t. Five minutes later all back in the hive. (No, it’s not a mating flight) Two hours later, did the same again. I knew what to expect today and yes, just now for the third time, same again. I assume HM is unwilling or unable to fly with them. I’m not one for cutting Queens and not experienced this before so it’s a case of deckchair and popcorn and watch the show.

 

[Gunzo]

Mine usually swarm regular as clockwork last week May or first week June. However yesterday the strong hive that arrived as a swarm last year, were up in the air. I watched as usual expecting them to land somewhere but they didn’t. Five minutes later all back in the hive. (No, it’s not a mating flight) Two hours later, did the same again. I knew what to expect today and yes, just now for the third time, same again. I assume HM is unwilling or unable to fly with them. I’m not one for cutting Queens and not experienced this before so it’s a case of deckchair and popcorn and watch the show.

 

[viridens]

3 swarms in two days, 5 in seven - same poor guy's garden! Is that a record?

Maybe at a ley line crossing?

 

[Macdee]

I had the same experience twice on two consecutive days this week - swarm cloud appears and bee everywhere on the outside of the hive - then they settled down again

 

[Ian123]

Maybe at a ley line crossing?

Rather more likely a beekeeper the other side of the hedge.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Rather more likely a beekeeper the other side of the hedge.

who doesn't bother taking preventative action and just sits back and lets them go

 

[B+.]

who doesn't bother taking preventative action and just sits back and lets them go

We are living in "interesting times". It's not always possible to judge why things happen the way they do at the moment.

 

[pargyle]

who doesn't bother taking preventative action and just sits back and lets them go

I think swarms of bees are attracted to locations where there are established colonies ... huge swarm arrived in my garden yesterday ... hanging on a branch about 30 feet up the Lawsons Pine in the garden, about 30 feet from my apiary - definitely not mine. They were far too hgh to safely capture them and they ignored the bait box I put below them - a few sniffed around it but the committee clearly didn't agree. They've gone today - there are a few beekeepers within a mile of me so someone has lost a lot of bees but where they have gone ? Who knows .. freebees bibi ... 'er indoors was muttering about 'more bees .. Do you need MORE bees ? ... so probably for the best ...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

We are living in "interesting times". It's not always possible to judge why things happen the way they do at the moment.

but doubt it will be much different to any of the orrevious years

 

[Levitt53]

A house in our village had 4 last year. I picked up the middle two. The last one was too high up for me. There are beehives about 2 metres from her boundary from a neighbouring beekeeper but I don't think they were his.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Trouble is if a swarm lands in your neighbours garden, they are "your bees"
I had the very accusation levelled at me this last week in a quite aggressive manner, despite offering to collect them. She organised another keeper instead.
She majored on the fact they'd never had a swarm before - she failed to realise that included the time I've lived next to her...