Post date: Apr 11, 2014 3:26:38 PM
Post date: Apr 11, 2014 3:26:38 PM
When I arrived the wife with her 9 month old son explained that she discovered a note on their front door left by a neighbor that said, "You have bees in your back yard." She was surprised since they were just back there walking and didn't notice anything amiss whatsoever. But upon inspection of her back tree line, sure enough, there was a big hanging ball of BEES!
When I walked back with her to check them out I didn't even notice them at first. They were minding their own business; not bothering anyone. Up in a Cedar about 15' off the ground. I explained that her and her son are not at risk of getting stung. But I warned that doesn't apply if you start throwing stuff at the bees and harassing them. You're going to get stung if you fool around like that. But if you bother the swarm you'd also deserve it! But I digress.
This colony was large, calm and the bees didn't mind one bit when I right next to them snipping Cedar limbs out of the way so I could bring them down to the hive. When I snipped the limb they were on it jarred the cluster somewhat and some guards broke cluster tagged me in the face. But I deserved it. I was bothering them. The colony was just defending itself. I shook the remainder into my hive box and slowly walked away to clean off the sting pheromone so I could come back and situate my foundationless frames into the hive box. When I returned all fresh and clean they were in the air all around me not defensive at all. I gently finished my work and walked away.
I returned after dark to bring the hive back to my apiary. My 2yr old son and I visited this colony in our apiary last evening. They were busy gathering resources and, no doubt, drawing out honeycomb inside. I'm sure the queen has, by now, taken advantage of the frame of brood comb I gave her to start laying new brood in. I'm excited to have this new feral colony to keep and observe! What special locally adapted genetics and traits will we see? In time we will find out!
If you're still reading I'll reward you with this short compilation of the footage from this swarm capture. Enjoy.