The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Bees & Beekeeping => Topic started by: Beewyched on July 08, 2013, 10:43:09 pm
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Having moved back with 2 empty hives in May, I set them up in the garden, just to keep them out of the way while they awaited new residents. Thought it would stay empty for some time due to the cost of nucs this year :o
While we were chatting with our friend next door (taking a break from tackling our overgrown garden), we heard a loud buzzing, looked-up to see a swarm of bees flying directly overhead, then watched them as they gradually descended, like a spiralling tornado, into one of our hives - wow what an amazing sight - never seen a swarm re-hive itself before.
I'm so :excited: I keep checking to see if they are still there. They have now settled down for the night, so :fc: they like their new home :bee:
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Wow, lucky you. I know what you mean about the cost of new nucs as we have just bought 2 :(
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They're still there this morning :excited:
Now got to work-out a way of stopping the dogs from getting too close to the hive - 1st thing Rupert did this morning was to run straight to the hive & start sniffing around the entrance - silly Setter ::)
Thinking windbreak fabric maybe or even using the pig's electric fencing - now they have ultra secure fields - or maybe both to make double sure :-\
:bee:
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Personally, I think they are evolving to recognise hives! ;D Happened to me this year too, and a couple of beekeeping friends - all first time it's happened to them! Good luck with your new hive - my newbees are settling in nicely! :excited:
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swarm from a neighbour? they will be round to claim them
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That's great news :excited:
I have a couple of 'bait hives' (no lure or anything just some old comb) out but no interest shown :( I also lost one of mine to swarming this year so am back to trying to build up a couple of colonies to take us through the winter
Enjoy!
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swarm from a neighbour? they will be round to claim them
After all the hard work my OH did in the blazing :sunshine: today, making a secure cage around the hive to keep the dogs safely away from them (dogs think it's brill - they now have the run of the whole back garden, as she used the kennel bars ::) ) if anyone tries to stake claim to them they can buzz off ;)
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Hi from Shropshire :wave:
Hi Beewyched
Now I have the opportunity to be jealous 8)
No, not really, Lucky you :thumbsup:
I hope they are a friendly productive colony :sunshine:
SV.
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Hi SV
Well, they are still here & don't seem to be fazed by us or the dogs passing backwards & forwards - so I think they're a pretty friendly bunch ;D
Our neighbours both sides of us are having their rendering done & I was a little concerned that the noise & dust would upset the bees - especially that they were still settling in, but they were fine :thumbsup: Shame really, as we've just found out that the dirty b***ers have been peeing around the side of one of our neighbour house - right by her back door - not that I would really wish my bees to give up their lives by stinging dirty men!
Bl**dy Neanderthals :o
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Perhaps the urine helps the rendering stick to the walls better
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Wow, that must have been amazing to watch! You must be well chuffed :excited:
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Perhaps the urine helps the rendering stick to the walls better
:P :roflanim:
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Hi From Shropshire :wave:
Hi Beewyched
We had the oposite on Saturday, there was an enormous buzzing outside, which got louder and louder,
a great cloud of bee, it was a bit like a murmouration of starlings, they settled in a tree and went quiet then about 10 minutes later the buzzing started again, I then watched the swarm fly off across the valley.
Not sure how I feel, we have lost a large proportion of a colony of bees, but 13 months ago, we gained a colony for nothing, helped them to survive over a bad winter, now there are two colonies in existance and hopefully someone now has a new colony;
amazing to watch a very primal sight.
David.
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Hi David :wave:
Shame you've lost them - but hopefully they'll remember how well you looked after them & next time that colony swarms they'll come back to you :fc: