The Wonder of a Honey Bee Swarm


One of the wonders of the world is the dynamic of a honey bee colony split (one too many queens). In my case some of the bees in my hive swarmed yesterday around 11 a.m.—they had already sent out scouts who had located a “home” in an oak tree about 20-feet from the main hive. The actual swarm started with a frenetic circle of bees about 15 feet above the hive. After buzzing for a few minutes, they jetted to the tree. I fired off shots in sports mode. This swarm was most likely triggered by a new queen who took her loyal supporters with her. The main hive, which has split four times in three years, remains vibrant.

4 responses

  1. BookOfBokeh Avatar
    BookOfBokeh

    Wow! That must be an AMAZING sight to see! Thank heavens you have not been hit with the hive collapse issue!

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    1. 67steffen Avatar
      67steffen

      Colony collapse is on my mind everyday. In fact, this morning I was worried that yesterday’s swarm was triggered by “something” the bees didn’t like about their hive, But, this morning the foragers are out and about. The leading cause of death continues to be drowning. Worse, if the drought continues, our entire ecosystem will be upended here in California. Thanks for the comment.

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      1. BookOfBokeh Avatar
        BookOfBokeh

        Good luck with that draught thing! We have some snow you can have if you’d like… 🙂

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