Swarm of honey bees in our tree!

[heathpack]

Today Mr. H got back from the store and noticed a bunch of bees around one of our trees, then more came until there was a swarm. Finally the swarm settled in a big mass on one of the tree branches.

Curious happening, so I googled "swarm of bees in my tree" and found out they were likely a group of honey bees looking for a new crevice to call home. Google said to call a bee service and they'd advise what to do, but maybe they'd come a put a bee box in the yard. The bees might choose to make their hive in the bee box and then the bee service would take them away and keep them as a pollinating hive. That sounded good to me, one of our little dogs is the type who would pick a fight with a swarm of bees.

We call the bee service and they said to just see what happens, the swarm might move on and find a suitable place to make a new hive. If they don't and the bees make a hive in our eaves or similar unwanted place, they will come and get them.

Anyway, it's been interesting to watch them today (through binoculars). Most of the bees stay put, but some scouts fly off, looking for a good patch of real estate, I guess. Then you can seem other bees come back and do their bee dance just like you learned about in school. They walk left then right then tap their abdomen down, whatever that means? Please let it be "whatever we do, let's not make a hive in Heathpacks house, I saw her googling the name of local beekeepers". Lol.

Anyway, it's interesting to have the bees around today. But I hope they are gone soon!

H

 

[davidvel]

If they are hanging onto the tree, they'll be gone tomorrow. Keep us posted.

 

[Patri]

This happened at a public place in our town. A beekeeper happily came and took them away within hours. The bee colonies are still down due to that collapse disorder hitting them, so no matter what, SAVE THE BEES!

 

[artringwald]

Time magazine just had a good article beepocalypse and how bees are so important to the fruit and vegetable industry.

http://science.time.com/2013/08/09/the-trouble-with-beekeeping-in-the-anthropocene/

 

[Jestjoan]

Contact these people for help

http://honeylove.org/team/

 

[siesta]

More often than not theyll be gone in a day or so.

 

[DonM]

Sounds like you got some good advice. I kept bees for many years. A swarm is the way for a healthy hive to split, reproduce and therefore ensure the survival of the species.

Unfortunately the health and long term survival of honeybees is in question- see the recent Time magazine cover and article.

The probability that your swarm came from a local beekeeper is almost 100%. There are few if any feral colonies in existence. Swarms are relatively harmless since they are looking for a new home and not defending their home.

Sometimes the swarm will stay an hour before they leave, and sometimes 3 days.

I don't know what part of the country you live in- but in the NorthEast, Swarms are most common in early May, but do occur less frequently through September. A swarm in August will not produce any crop this year, and even ignoring the challenges that they are facing, would have the odds against them surviving the winter (again depending on where you live). Considering the extra challenges, their long term survival is almost certainly doomed. Their only hope is that of a beekeeper capturing them.

 

[DonM]

...We call the bee service and they said to just see what happens, the swarm might move on and find a suitable place to make a new hive. If they don't and the bees make a hive in our eaves or similar unwanted place, they will come and get them.

Bee Service?? Are they beekeepers, or a pest removal service??

If the swarm is still there, it is so easy for a beekeeper to come and remove then as long as he can reach them. (I've had unreachable swarms in trees that were 80 feet high in the top branches)

If the swarm leaves and makes a home in a tree hollow they probably will not survive long (see previous post)

If they decide your attic or eave is there new home (This is not likely but certainly possible), it then becomes more expense and difficult to remove them.

Therefore I'm thinking that the service you referred to may be a pest removal service not beekeepers.

 

[Passepartout]

I don't know what part of the country you live in- but in the NorthEast, Swarms are most common in early May, but do occur less frequently through September. A swarm in August will not produce any crop this year, and even ignoring the challenges that they are facing, would have the odds against them surviving the winter (again depending on where you live). Considering the extra challenges, their long term survival is almost certainly doomed. Their only hope is that of a beekeeper capturing them.

Don, the OP lives in S. California where it seldom freezes, so they may well survive- especially if an experienced keeper takes them under his wing, so to speak.

 

[heathpack]

The bees are still there this am

They were less active when I left for work (temp was probably in the low 60's) but we are expecting triple digit temperatures today so that will probably wake them up.

I think I will call the bee keeper that I buy my honey from. I'm not sure he's in town but presumably will know what to do. Jim is right that we are in So Cal and rarely get a hard freeze.

The bees are only 7 feet off the ground and could be easily retrieved I think.

H

 

[davidvel]

They were less active when I left for work (temp was probably in the low 60's) but we are expecting triple digit temperatures today so that will probably wake them up.

I think I will call the bee keeper that I buy my honey from. I'm not sure he's in town but presumably will know what to do. Jim is right that we are in So Cal and rarely get a hard freeze.

The bees are only 7 feet off the ground and could be easily retrieved I think.

H

I still predict they'll be gone when you get home from work.

 

[heathpack]

Bees are off to a new home- as "kept" bees

Well, the beekeeper came and got the bees. I wasn't there, but got a text from Mr. H. I asked him how they got them and he texted back "water and a bucket, it took less than 1 minute."

I have no idea what that means but he says he has a video.

All's well that ends well...as Wm. Shakespeare says.

H

 

[DonM]

Don, the OP lives in S. California where it seldom freezes, so they may well survive- especially if an experienced keeper takes them under his wing, so to speak.

Glad the beekeeper got them!

It's not so much about freezing- but more about lack of available resources (food). In our area the major flow of nectar is usually between May and July. The bees will still collect after July but to a much lesser extent, and if the swarm takes place in August- there will not be enough nectar to make into honey to carry them through the winter (even if it doesn't freeze). Bees will not forage for pollen or nectar when its less the 55 degrees.

The beekeeper will probably feed them. The swarm may have been from his bees.

don

 

[MuranoJo]

We've had a couple of swarms here in our back yard the past few years, the last one just this Spring. I was getting a bit nervous because some of the scouts were investigating our roofline pretty closely, but they all took off on day 3.

Around here, given the cooler weather, I probably would have called a beekeeper or bee expert if they showed up recently (end of summer).

Glad they have a new home for the winter.