.LynEve

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Following on from the BEE SWARM from yesterday.
First thing this morning we tracked down a local beekeeper who was very happy to come and remove it. He is the third of four generations of beekeepers so he sure knows his bees!
It was a simple operation,he just placed a hive beneath the swarm and knocked it down (with his hand!). Immediately the bees started going in and making themselves at home. Once they were all in he popped on the lid and off they went to their new home to make honey.
He said it was a small swarm of approx 10,000 that had migrated from another colony. He was able to point out the Queen who looked very different to the others - no stripes.
It had rained heavily during the night and apparently the bees take turns to move to the outside of the clump and they keep the inner temperature at 21 degreesC to protect the Queen.
Only one sting between three of us and unfortunately Mr Beekeeper was the one that got it. They became a bit agitated when they plopped down on to the hive but as soon as they realized what they were supposed to do they just got on with it :) Thankfully the declining worldwide bee population still has these 10,000 but I am glad they are not still in my backyard.
Photos taken with Panasonic FZ28.


"For so work the honey-bees, creatures that by a rule in nature teach the act of order to a peopled kingdom." ~ William Shakespeare