I call myself a 'natural beekeeper,' but this was just plain luck. An August swarm appeared on our plum tree behind my Bee-atrice log hive. I knew it probably came from the log hive and sure enough, when I peered through the observation window, there were many fewer bees. I was totally bummed because that hive had started from a wild swarm that chose Bee-atrice log hive only two months earlier. It had built up fast.
Meanwhile, my old log hive, Bee Beard, which had given me two years of photo opportunities without me intervening in any way, had been in decline. I let it get robbed out by one of my other hives and was content to let the wax moths come in to clean out the wax when I spotted a Bald Faced Hornet entering and leaving. Yikes, I don't want a hornet setting up residence, over wintering here. So I took Bee Beard apart, cleaned out a mountain of old wax, and when the swarm appeared, I set it back up as a 'just in case' scenario.
I hung around with my camera in hand, shooting video of the waggle dancing on the swarm, and scout bees checking out my newly cleaned Bee Beard log hive. I knew that swarms usually take place between 10 am and 2 pm, but it was after 2 when it started. I was able to get video of them after they had lifted off the branch and they were up in the air. My wife and I stood in awe of the energy of thousands of bees swirling around us. I panicked for a brief time when it looked like they were flying past the log hive. They finally settled on the face of Bee Beard and then started making their way into the hive through the mouth entrance. I'm afraid I got a little emotional about it in the video, but what can you expect?
Here's the play by play of Bee Beard is back. http://solarbeez.com/2014/08/11/bee-beard-is-back/
Also Bee Beard's back story http://solarbeez.com/2014/08/09/bee-beards-back-story/
and the swarm's back story http://solarbeez.com/2014/08/10/the-august-swarms-backstory/
Meanwhile, my old log hive, Bee Beard, which had given me two years of photo opportunities without me intervening in any way, had been in decline. I let it get robbed out by one of my other hives and was content to let the wax moths come in to clean out the wax when I spotted a Bald Faced Hornet entering and leaving. Yikes, I don't want a hornet setting up residence, over wintering here. So I took Bee Beard apart, cleaned out a mountain of old wax, and when the swarm appeared, I set it back up as a 'just in case' scenario.
I hung around with my camera in hand, shooting video of the waggle dancing on the swarm, and scout bees checking out my newly cleaned Bee Beard log hive. I knew that swarms usually take place between 10 am and 2 pm, but it was after 2 when it started. I was able to get video of them after they had lifted off the branch and they were up in the air. My wife and I stood in awe of the energy of thousands of bees swirling around us. I panicked for a brief time when it looked like they were flying past the log hive. They finally settled on the face of Bee Beard and then started making their way into the hive through the mouth entrance. I'm afraid I got a little emotional about it in the video, but what can you expect?
Here's the play by play of Bee Beard is back. http://solarbeez.com/2014/08/11/bee-beard-is-back/
Also Bee Beard's back story http://solarbeez.com/2014/08/09/bee-beards-back-story/
and the swarm's back story http://solarbeez.com/2014/08/10/the-august-swarms-backstory/
