The other day I was looking out the kitchen window and noticed that one of our apple trees was covered with bees. I was pretty excited that the many blossoms were getting pollinated and went out to take a closer look. It wasn't pollination going on, it was a swarm forming! This was even more exciting, since our hive died this spring and a swarm is a way to get FREE bees! (Buying a new hive can cost almost $100.) I called Brad and asked him what I should do, and he said I could try to get it down if I wanted to. So I put on the suit, set up the box beneath the tree, climbed up the ladder and clipped the branch. As soon as I moved it, all the bees dropped off and flew up higher in the tree. We decided to wait until later in the evening when they had calmed down a bit, and Brad tried again.
The swarm...not huge, but a decent size.
Very carefully clip the branch...
carry it over to the box...
and set it in...
and the bees have a new home!
Here's the ladies sending out pheromones to attract their way-ward sisters.
Hopefully the queen will like her new home and start laying some eggs!
Wow! You guys are pros! That's pretty cool, I hope they like their new mansion, a lot fancier than living in a tree..!
ReplyDeleteJenny, you rock my world! Brad's pretty cool too.
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