Honeybee swarm!

Just wanted to everyone know that we had a HUGE - and I mean HUGE swarm of honeybees on a bush in our neighbors yard yesterday afternoon. According to my husband (who is highly allergic, but wasn't afraid), the swarm was a little larger than a football, several thousand. They spent a good part of the day on a branch, flew around a bit and went back to the bush. Hubby called a beekeeper and was told that the queen is looking for a new place to settle down and her loyal subjects are following her every move. Because they are so full of honey, they are not aggressive, just very tired. Lady said they would move on by last night or this morning. In fact they moved last night about 6 PM (looked like a large black cloud) and settled on a pine tree along Claiborne Parkway. I saw them after they lit on the pine. AMAZING!

Beekeeper rounded up 3 swarms day before yesterday and was out of boxes to come get these.

I you see them, please leave them alone and try to keep kids away from them. As the beekeeper said, they are laden with honey and tired so they are not aggressive., Just resting while Queenie is looking for a nice spot to live and I think B lands is the perfect place to call home! Whatever you do, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE don't try to kill them. We need them in our gardens - and they've hit a rough patch the past few years. Aside from the fact that it is an awesome sight!

 

Where are they on Claiborne Parkway?

 

ok- if i am outside on THEIR turf they live, but if they fly into my house- they are MINE. me and a can of HOT SHOT will stand between them and freedom....

 

At the intersection of Small Branch Place, north side of Small Branch. Checked a little while ago and the majority of the the swarm is gone from that particular pine tree, however, quite a few still remain. Don't know if most of the bees are out working and will return later. I'll keep checking and will post if I see them again. It's really a neat sight.

 

I took an Animal Behavior course in college were I learned about the queen bee finding a new home. That would have been amazing to see in person. But I have to agree about them coming into my house. With two little ones, and my eldest has already been stung once.... don't want to know if she's allergic with the second sting.

I would have loved to have seen such an amazing sight. <sigh>

 

Interestingly enough there was a story about honey bees dieing off. That is bad for the food crops. Hope those guys find a good home (away from people).

 

Well the swarm left the pine tree for parts unknown. Noticed quite a few earlier today flying around the bush and the tree. I just found out, from a friend whose grandfather had 150 bee boxes, that those bees smell the queens scent and are the guards. He said Queenie probably came from a nest that was getting too full, she laid another queen, and took off with about half of the hive. Because they don't have a long life, many will die and she'll make a new nest with those remaining.

He said they are too tired to be aggressive unless you mess with the swarm. They are most active during the day as it gets warm. As it cools down in the late afternoon - evening they become docile. No need to worry about them coming into your house.

He said that small mites, which infest the inside of the bee, have been responsible for the demise of so many honeybees so he was extremely excited to hear of the swarm.

 

I'm not too worried about the swarm. Just the other day I found a dead bee on my window that was not there two days ago I did not kill the little thing but it was inside my house. I'd like to know how he got in, that way I can stop any others.

I'm teaching my daughter that bugs and bees are not scary. I'm actually starting to convince myself too. I found that I'm not as scared of spiders as I used to be.

Thanks for the re-education on bees, it's been 7 years since my class and this brought back so much! Wish I remembered how to interpret the bee wiggle dance (that was actually on my exam!). hehe.

 

hey don't worry too much and don't bother them! SO many honey bees have been dying out all over the states, which is a direct threat to many of the food and fruits we enjoy!