miffy Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 Yesterday afternoon as I sat watching the girls freeranging, I became aware of a few bees around THEN a loud buzzing....looked up and there was a swarm of bees amongst the apple trees!!!! I ran in and took the dog with me, left the girls out (I had a nasy reaction to my last bee sting didnt want to take any chances!!) We got hold of a local bee keeper who came and collected the swarm, well over 20,000 he said!!!!!! It took him ages as he said they were not very nice tempered bees, usually when they swarm they are at their most docile trust us to have bad tempered bees I thought I would post as he said with the good weather predicted there could be quite a few bees swarming over the next couple of days, I hope your bees are better tempered than ours were Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 How unnerving for you Miffy.........there's a hive not far from me which is apparently quite bad-tempered so the chap thinks he may have to re-queen to sweeten their temper I still want to get a hive though Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 How on earth did he count them? I have seen a few around and am getting a bit worried we may have some in the garage. i have noticed there seems to have a few rogue swarms mentioned on forum recently and a lot in the press. i wonder if the virus that was attacking them has made them go funny and stray. you never hears so much about people having swarms in gardens etc as in recent weeks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miffy Posted May 22, 2009 Author Share Posted May 22, 2009 good to know its not just our bees who are bad tempered It was fascinating to see the swarm hanging in a tree, and the chap who came to collect them was very knowledgeable and interesting to talk to but NO WAY could I keep bees. YS was fascinated and wondered about keeping them I wish you good luck when you get some Sha !! I have no idea how he knew how many in the swarm, just an expert guess I expect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clootie Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 We had some bees in a chimney here that had been unused in umpteen years - we managed to get them out but the honey was running down the chimney and out onto the floor like molten lava and the smell was gross !! But, the reason for the post is, every now and then an odd bee still finds its way down the chimney and out into the room. Yesterday, this weird looking bee flew out and promply landed on the floor and snuffed it within minutes. On closer inspection, this thing had what looked like a thorn protruding from the middle of it's face. It wasn't a thorn of course but part of the creature and it was massive!! I've never seen anyhting like it. It's still there as I didn't want to get rid of it until I found out what it was, maybe I should take a pic and post it. Perhaps someone out there in the land of Omlet will know what the heck this thing is! Creepy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 Gross Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miffy Posted May 22, 2009 Author Share Posted May 22, 2009 OMG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 Goodness knows what that was Clootie! We had to go and collect a swarm on Wednesday - it was just the right weather for them. We had to use two boxes as they were in an awkward place and we couldn't get them into one......we had to wait for them to regroup and do them again.......just incase the queen wasn't in the first lot. We chatted to the man whose garden they were in and then went to get in the car - it was full of bees.......my knots obviously need some work We had to drive home in full beesuits, with the hood and veil firmly zipped up - half the journey was behind a police car and we got some very odd looks whenever we stopped at lights or crossings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 It's the season to swarm and people are more aware of bees than in the past, I think this is the reason they are in the press more than they were, rather than there being a "problem" as such. Does that make sense.... ? Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenanne Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 The older a queen is, the more likely she is to swarm (taking some of the workers with her). The last couple years have been terrible for bees, so lots of beekeepers didn't re-queen hives last year, so there are more hives with older queens around... therfore more liklihood of swarms. That, and the fantastic spring weather tog et them off to a good start! So pleased you called a local beekeeper to remove the swarm, there are many people who want bees and it's such a shame when they are destroyed by pest control etc. I started keeping bees earlier this year, and they are fascinating things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alih Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 chickenanne I would LOVE to keep bees - my neighbour has them and I am dying to have a go with him. did you watch the fascinating progamme about them dying out the other day? I would love to know who you got started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJuff Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 I think awareness of bees has increased enormously over the past few years. I sat watching bees on my rosemary and lavendar this morning. They had huge pollon sacks. Our local vicar has just got bees and I couldn't help wondering who they belong to. . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Alih, if you pop over to the 'Self Sufficiency' section there's a sticky on Bee Chat, quite a few of us are getting into it this year! I have a hive, but still no bees - here's hoping for a swarm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfrock Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Is this going to be the latest Omlet must have?!? Only Andy has been talking about having bees for the last 2 years or so (although I am not so keen). A chap round the corner has 4 hives in his front garden, and Andy is going to the local bee keeping club next week - they meet once a month and this chap has invited Andy to come along and learn more. He is dead excited. Meanwhile - Lesley you had me in stitches with your description! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaches Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 I have a hive, but still no bees - here's hoping for a swarm. We're in the same boat - desperate for a swarm. A fellow member is offering to sell us bees but wants £125.... if we don't get a swarm soon may have to fork out. Let's start the bee dance ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Timely posts. I was just in the garden reading the paper when i was distracted by a buzzing. I looked round to see a dozen or so bees investigating a large & unused bird house we have on the patio. Now,I love bess, but the last time I was stung I ended up in hospital,so am not too keen to have a nest in the garden to be honest.On the other hand I know thay have problems at the moment & I would want to encourage them. Not easy,is it? Hopefully they will find somewher else to nest & won't be my problem! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alih Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Alih, if you pop over to the 'Self Sufficiency' section there's a sticky on Bee Chat, quite a few of us are getting into it this year! I have a hive, but still no bees - here's hoping for a swarm. thanks, will do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 We had some bees in a chimney here that had been unused in umpteen years - we managed to get them out but the honey was running down the chimney and out onto the floor like molten lava and the smell was gross !! But, the reason for the post is, every now and then an odd bee still finds its way down the chimney and out into the room. Yesterday, this weird looking bee flew out and promply landed on the floor and snuffed it within minutes. On closer inspection, this thing had what looked like a thorn protruding from the middle of it's face. It wasn't a thorn of course but part of the creature and it was massive!! I've never seen anyhting like it. It's still there as I didn't want to get rid of it until I found out what it was, maybe I should take a pic and post it. Perhaps someone out there in the land of Omlet will know what the heck this thing is! Creepy. Only just seen your post, Clootie. My suggestion would be that that it was the bee's extended proboscis. If they are on their last legs from feeding on crops that have been sprayed with chemicals that are toxic to bees, they die with their proboscis extended in this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
