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Just the other day I was out catching swarms and for the first time I saw the full on swarming activity. It was simply awe-some in every sense of the word! I got a call on the swarm hotline number, goggled the location and within an hour or two I met up with a fellow beeguardian/beekeeper who saw a swarm of bees swarm into a tree way up within a few blocks of his house. We walked over to the swarm tree together and he pointed the swarm out to me. It was a massive swarm... probably basketball sized all clumped up in a ball about 40' up out on a limb of a very tall pine tree.
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As I was contemplating how on earth I was going to climb up to get this swarm, we noticed a squirrel up in the tree hopping on the very branch where the swarm rested. Just as the branch jiggled, we started to notice more bee activity around the branch and all at once the ball of bees was disappearing and being replaced by tens of thousands of bees buzzing about in every direction about 5 feet above our heads. It was incredible to watch as they all flew about. The buzzing sound was deafening.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
After about 30 seconds, we noticed that the cloud of bees was slowly making its way west, toward the mountains. We watched the path and direction they were headed paying attention to our ears just as much as our eyes as we followed them, struggling to keep up. After a few moments, we couldn't see them anymore yet our ears kept us alerted to their distant presence slowly fading away. We jumped into his Prius in a flash and whizzed down the road heading west. At the next block we stopped and I got out to listen for the bees. Not a sight nor sound could be heard. We went down the next block starting to feel discouraged when I noticed a bit of bee activity around the base of a tree. I immediately jumped out of the car and looked up; there they were, the beautiful swarm all buzzing together in perfect harmony having scouted out a new location to group up again and wait until one of the scout bees finds a new home.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view. Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
We watched and waited as they slowly made up their minds and chose a resting place up in another pine tree. This time about 50' up in the tree.
Before proceeding to figuring out how to catch this swarm, we knocked on the door to the house on the property of where the bees rested. The whole family was there at the door gathering for mothers day. As we told them about the swarm wondering if they'd be okay for us to climb their tree, we were met with faces filled with both bewilderment and wonder. They were excited for the bees to have chosen their tree and kept coming out to take photos. "It isn't everyday you see a swarm of bees" one of them exclaimed excitedly. After getting reinforcement tools such as tape, rope and bungee cord, I was all set to attempt to get this basketball sized swarm way up at the top of a pine tree. What are my climbing skills for if not to catch swarms up in high places?? I suited up, picked up the swarm box and gave it a go!
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
About 3/4 of the way up the tree (40'), the branches were getting pretty flimsy and even the trunk of the tree was bending with the wind. I decided that even though I was only about 5' from the swarm, I knew the next couple of branches wouldn't hold my weight and then there was the fact that I'd need to catch the swarm that was further out on a branch and climb down with it. I decided that if these girls can swarm to the tippity-top of a tree, they'll be able to care for themselves and hopefully choose a suitable home before the cold weather comes in.
This was the first swarm I've abandoned and also by far the most adventurous and exciting one! A whole cloud of bees buzzing all around me in organized chaos... what an adventure to remember!
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Read more
Clik here to view.
Just the other day I was out catching swarms and for the first time I saw the full on swarming activity. It was simply awe-some in every sense of the word! I got a call on the swarm hotline number, goggled the location and within an hour or two I met up with a fellow beeguardian/beekeeper who saw a swarm of bees swarm into a tree way up within a few blocks of his house. We walked over to the swarm tree together and he pointed the swarm out to me. It was a massive swarm... probably basketball sized all clumped up in a ball about 40' up out on a limb of a very tall pine tree.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
As I was contemplating how on earth I was going to climb up to get this swarm, we noticed a squirrel up in the tree hopping on the very branch where the swarm rested. Just as the branch jiggled, we started to notice more bee activity around the branch and all at once the ball of bees was disappearing and being replaced by tens of thousands of bees buzzing about in every direction about 5 feet above our heads. It was incredible to watch as they all flew about. The buzzing sound was deafening.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
After about 30 seconds, we noticed that the cloud of bees was slowly making its way west, toward the mountains. We watched the path and direction they were headed paying attention to our ears just as much as our eyes as we followed them, struggling to keep up. After a few moments, we couldn't see them anymore yet our ears kept us alerted to their distant presence slowly fading away. We jumped into his Prius in a flash and whizzed down the road heading west. At the next block we stopped and I got out to listen for the bees. Not a sight nor sound could be heard. We went down the next block starting to feel discouraged when I noticed a bit of bee activity around the base of a tree. I immediately jumped out of the car and looked up; there they were, the beautiful swarm all buzzing together in perfect harmony having scouted out a new location to group up again and wait until one of the scout bees finds a new home.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
We watched and waited as they slowly made up their minds and chose a resting place up in another pine tree. This time about 50' up in the tree.
Before proceeding to figuring out how to catch this swarm, we knocked on the door to the house on the property of where the bees rested. The whole family was there at the door gathering for mothers day. As we told them about the swarm wondering if they'd be okay for us to climb their tree, we were met with faces filled with both bewilderment and wonder. They were excited for the bees to have chosen their tree and kept coming out to take photos. "It isn't everyday you see a swarm of bees" one of them exclaimed excitedly. After getting reinforcement tools such as tape, rope and bungee cord, I was all set to attempt to get this basketball sized swarm way up at the top of a pine tree. What are my climbing skills for if not to catch swarms up in high places?? I suited up, picked up the swarm box and gave it a go!
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
About 3/4 of the way up the tree (40'), the branches were getting pretty flimsy and even the trunk of the tree was bending with the wind. I decided that even though I was only about 5' from the swarm, I knew the next couple of branches wouldn't hold my weight and then there was the fact that I'd need to catch the swarm that was further out on a branch and climb down with it. I decided that if these girls can swarm to the tippity-top of a tree, they'll be able to care for themselves and hopefully choose a suitable home before the cold weather comes in.
This was the first swarm I've abandoned and also by far the most adventurous and exciting one! A whole cloud of bees buzzing all around me in organized chaos... what an adventure to remember!
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Read more