Friday afternoon we were wandering around our backyard with some friends when I noticed what looked like a swarm of bees high in a black cherry tree. I instantly dismissed it and didn’t even say anything because I figured it too late in the season for a wild swarm. A few minutes later though, one of the boys noticed it too and said so. Upon closer inspection we realized that it was indeed a swarm of honeybees.
Jonny and his friend grabbed a ladder and a nuc box that we bought earlier this year (in hopes of catching a wild swarm) and set up what we hoped would be a trap for the bees because they were way too high in the tree for us to go after them.
We remarked on the fact that the swarm was relatively close to our hives. Jonny and I exchanged a glance but quickly concluded that that swarm couldn’t be from one of our hives because we just installed our packages this spring and our bees had plenty of room….
Just to be sure, Jonny made a quick peek inside both hives. There were still lots of bees in both so we assumed that it wasn’t one of our hives that swarmed. We speculated that maybe a recent storm had upset a wild colony and now they were looking for a new home.
Meanwhile, the trap (scented with lemongrass oil as a lure) seemed to be working.
We decided that the ladder wasn’t sturdy enough and moved the hive onto something else. There were so many scouts checking out the hive that we thought this was going to be easy. Surely at any moment they would call the rest of the crew to move into this great new hive.
Despite all the interest, the swarm stayed put.
Meahwhile, Jonny and I opened up our Lark Rise hive again for another look. The bottom super did seem a bit emptier than it should, but we didn’t spend much time looking around because those bees were not happy at all. They were mad. We began to realize that the swarm may have originated from Lark Rise.
On Saturday, Jonny and I opened up our Lark Rise hive again, hoping to get a closer look.
What we discovered confirmed our growing suspicions. These bees planned and prepared to swarm. We found at least five open queen cells. We also found eggs, so we hope that a new queen has already started laying.
We opened up Candleford and took a really good look around there too. We noticed a couple of funny cells (don’t know what they are) but nothing to indicate that they had raised a new queen. So, Lark Rise it was.
Saturday was overcast and rainy. Not good weather for bees to fly about. Our swarm stayed put.
We spent most of the day watching the swarm doing nothing. This situation is terribly preoccupying.
The sun finally decided to shine on Sunday afternoon. The bees who remained at Lark Rise were very busy.
The bees in the swarm started to move around as well. We thought that surely they would do something. But they didn’t.
Jonny put together a larger hive, thinking that it might be more enticing than the little nuc box.
We added some drawn comb stuffed with a bit of pollen and honey to entice the bees.
It sat for hours and we didn’t notice any scouts checking it out.
We’ve scooted the bigger one next to the smaller one and are waiting and hoping. Monday morning we are going to try to get it elevated a bit higher.
We can see the swarm from our bedroom window. When we aren’t walking out to check on them, we are spying on the swarm from the window. I folded laundry in my bedroom Sunday afternoon with one eye on the bees at all times. When they move, I want to see it happen!
But for now, thousands of our bees are still forty feet off the ground in a cherry tree. Oh, no!
And even if we catch them…
‘A swarm in May is worth a load of hay; a swarm in June is worth a silver spoon; but a swarm in July is not worth a fly’—for it is then too late‥to store up‥honey before the flowers begin to fade.
[1879 R. Jefferies Wild Life in Southern County vii.]
We’re trying though. Maybe Monday will be the day.
Ann says
I too am wondering what happened to the swarm!
Amanda says
great post, i’ll have to share with my beekeeping friend! i guess i could have had you identify the tree in my yard. my dad told me it was a black cherry tree. funny thing is, i don’t remember it ever bearing fruit before!
6512 and growing says
We had a hive swarm once into our apple tree before they flew away and that sort of energy of thousands of bees clusters and buzzing is…well…a little terrifying.
I love that your cat is keeping tabs on the whole business.
Lauren says
If you have a bee farm nearby or any other bee keepers they may be able to catch the queens and rehome them in the hive to get the swarm to move. We had a swarm in our barn one year and a local beekeeper came and retrieved then for us and then took them back to his farm in a hive.
nancy says
Larkrise to Candleford. I’m in a dream 🙂
Taryn Kae Wilson @ Wooly Moss Roots says
Keeping my fingers crossed for you guys!
Heidi says
Ginny,
I don’t know if you read this beekeeper’s blog (link below). After reading your swarm post, I checked in to see if they’d had any similar late swarm issues in the Richmond area. Here’s what I found:
http://richmondhoneybee.com/swarms/worth-fly.html
I hope your bees find their way into your hive boxes!
-Heidi
Roanna says
i love honey and individual bees i’m not too afraid of anymore, but i feel the *fight or flight* just reading this post!!
Missy says
Loved this Ginny! These bees always keep things interesting, eh? Both our new hives this year have superceded their queens, and the wild swarm we caught stayed in their new home for over a month and then left. Every time we open up the hive it is an adventure!
We have noticed them several times packing the brood nest full of honey when we didn’t have enough frames above, so we have started rotating empty frames into the brood nest and that seems to keep them busy drawing out new comb. I think those ‘weird cells’ you pictured above are ‘queen cups’ and are considered a normal part of hive furniture – emergency cells if the bees deem the queen needs to be replaced. When they elongate them into the peanut shape, like the other queen cell you pictured, I think that’s when supercedure or swarming will happen., or that is what we’ve noticed in our hives anyways. Have fun and can’t wait for the update!
steph says
This is the best suspense tale……
anxiously awaiting chapter 2
Christina says
Gosh….how exciting! I sure hope you can see it, and maybe even snap off some pics for your friends. *wink wink*
Ellen says
That is suspenseful, for sure. I hope things work out and the bees come back to the new hive you’ve created for them. I love the names of your other hives by the way!
Martha says
So interesting….I can’t wait to hear what happens! ♥
Karen says
It sure does look like you had queen cups that indicate a swarm in your Lark Rise hive. The new queen would not be laying yet but hopefully is out on her mating flights. Check back for eggs and larvae in a couple weeks. If you do get lucky the swarm may take up residence in your nuc box or possibly move lower and make it easier to catch so do keep an eye out. Also, though it is preferable to get a swarm earlier in the season you can still feed a new hive now with sugar water until winter or since you have a few hives you can “rob from Peter to pay Paul” if you have an over abundance of honey in one of the others. Swarming is Mother Nature’s way of spreading the bounty and though a nuisance for us beekeepers it is perfectly natural. Make sure you have plenty of room in the center of your hive in your brood boxes not just in the honey supers above. Get back with me if you have any questions. I’d be happy to help…~Karen at Serendipity Farm
Marcie in Canada says
Oh how exciting for the children! Please keep us updated. Always a wonderful adventure at your place!!!
Jenn says
Why did your bees leave the nest? That’s unfortunate! 🙁
Molly Makes Do says
I just love that you’re hives are named Lark Rise and Candleford – I hope they get along better than the towns!
~ joey ~ says
Oh I do hope that today is the day for your bees to come home!
xoxo
~ joey ~
Kim says
The bee keeper I took a workshop with last week said the exact same thing about swarms 🙂
Hoping the swarm finds the hive. Have fun watching!
Dawn says
The marshmallow flowers are blooming right now…honeybees love them. I would love to think you can catch that hive.
Dawn says
Meaning, if you can catch that hive, they may have time to collect enough nectar to store for winter. My fingers are crossed for you.
Nahuatl Vargas says
I hope they move soon.
Meryl says
How cool–I hope you keep us posted on where the swarm decides to go!
Rachel Wolf says
I just read that poem to Lupine yesterday, perhaps while you were peering out the window, shaking your head. What a disappointment – and what a mystery. My dad use to catch wild swarms but I only remember his bees swarming once. If that is any comfort.
Joy says
Oh man! Now I am waiting on the edge of my seat for an update! I hope you’re able to get them into the hive. Good luck!
meghann says
I hope today is the day… *fingers crossed* xo
Rachael Jarvis says
I can’t even count the number of hours I have spent this year watching swarms, chasing them around the yard, and moving them into Nuc boxes. Unfortunately, NONE of them have stayed put!! How frustrating! I am hoping that your swarm will behave better than mine did! Last year, however a wild, native swarm moved into a week struggling hive and took them over. This is now our strongest hive by far and we have split it many times to make new hives. The only thing I can figure is that you just never know with these bees!
Heather says
What an exciting thing to witness. Hope you get them back and they get to work.
Raquel says
Hi Ginny! 🙂 One thing we do here in Portugal is that we cut one of the Queen’s wings. When they swarm with the queen they don’t go far. But if they swarm with a new queen because the other died or is getting old it doesn’t work. I don’t know much about beekeeping because I only took some lessons but don’t have a colony yet. Hope to hear from you soon, with good news of course. Raquel
Rach says
Wow! How intriguing… I have never considered having bees, it would be so exciting with the children – I think my husband would like it too!
sarahelisabeth says
This reminds me so much of what happened to us, last year.
http://weshallobtaindeliveringgrace.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/in-our-garden-today.html