You may or may not know that we have several honey bee hives sited in quiet corners on The Howe, and at least one other beekeeper who keeps their hives very nearby.
So we weren’t too surprised when this morning we received reports of a swarm of bees who’d gathered in a tree on The Howe.
Luckily one of our resident beekeepers was able to help. He immediately came up and carefully captured the swarm, and popped them in a special vessel beekeepers keep for this very situation.
In the UK, honey bee swarming season typically runs from May to the end of July. The warm weather we’re experiencing at the moment means it’s now the start of the season – and so this is when all beekeepers regularly check their hives. While swarming can occur at any time during spring and summer, it’s most common during these warmer months.
Although some folk might find it all a bit alarming, swarming bees are generally a good sign. It’s usually an indication of a healthy and thriving honey bee colony.
Swarming is a natural process where a portion of the colony splits off to establish a new hive, ensuring the bee population’s growth. So it’s usually not a sign of a problem, but rather a sign of colony success.
Also as the honey bees are just effectively ‘house-hunting’ they’re usually very docile. One of our volunteers was able to take these pictures (while standing back!) without protection.
We’d like to thank Paul Goodson, one of our newer beekeepers on The Howe, for so quickly coming to our aid – and we’re pleased to report that the bees have already found a new home.
It’s wonderful to know our local honey bees are thriving.
And of course the more bees, the more pollination of our allotmenteers crops – and the more delicious honey all of our local beekeepers will produce!
If you’re interested in buying some local honey, then why not pop along to a Windmill Open Day (the next one is on Sunday May 11th) as there are usually plenty of jars to be bought!
This is good news, but maybe we should have been told earlier.
My body reacts badly to stings from hymenoptera, so I tend to avoid areas where they may be, just in case. I speak for others (children?), who might find a swarm distressing.
Wider though, it’s very positive to see the ponds with amphibians and other life, and the water is an asset in a dry grassland.
David.