honey bee swarm kind of day

[Claire]

Just want to share. My bees swarmed today and (thank goodness) landed in a low branch nearby. I just happened to check on them, forgetting how ideal this day would be for swarming-- hot and sunny after cool weather.

Well, weren't they excited! The old hive was in a very active state and the swarm was pretty darn calm. I could stand rather close to it.

So imagine my delight to see this beautiful swarm of our own bees hanging from a branch in the perfect shape of a heart, even with 2 pronounced lobes.

They were placed in their new hive box and are settling in grandly. I hope they find the new accommodations agreeable.

Love it!!

PS. 2 days later and they are comfortably ensconced. Two hives now, all sisters, more or less.

[BreathOfFreshAir]

I just heard that cell phone waves greatly affect the Bee's ability to find home and be comfortable there… Latest research is now validated on it~

[Dixon]

The picture of the heart-shaped swarm is awesome, Claire!

Let me take this opportunity to recommend to everybody, if you haven't yet seen it, the great documentary "Queen of the Sun", which really increased my appreciation of bees--almost enough to start a hive myself! Check out that movie, folks!

[podfish]

I just heard that cell phone waves greatly affect the Bee's ability to find home and be comfortable there… Latest research is now validated on it~

funny, they seem to affect drivers the same way.

[Claire]

The picture of the heart-shaped swarm is awesome, Claire!

Let me take this opportunity to recommend to everybody, if you haven't yet seen it, the great documentary "Queen of the Sun", which really increased my appreciation of bees--almost enough to start a hive myself! Check out that movie, folks!

Yes, and the picture didn't really show the shape that well as the redwood leaves were in the way.
Just about anyone can keep bees, probably. It's a matter of having the equipment and the hives prepared, and that can get pricey. Perhaps there are beekeepers that have extra to share.
You don't really need to know that much about it, either, as the bees do the work, mostly. I used to read all about it when we first started 20-some years ago but gradually slipped into the role of neglectful, appreciative beekeeper. I know less now than I did then and we hardly ever take honey but we love having a hive or 4.
I went to an interesting workshop last year. The presenter was very strongly opinionated that the bees should not be coddled and medicated. She said we are weakening the species by letting the weaker hives survive and spread. This resolved my vague guilt about not doing more for/to them.
Instead of killing the old queen (we just couldn't bring ourselves to do that) to requeen, this hive of gentle Italians has made itself a new queen when it needed to. Thank goodness.
There is much information available these days and innovation with hive design. I would love to start up an on-going bee topic thread, but I couldn't come up with anything but really lame Bee puns for a title. Anyone want to start?
I'd love to hear what people are doing about this pertinent matter.
And yes, Dixon, that movie was amazing, wasn't it? It taught me that swarms are good. It is how we get more bees, how they reproduce and keep the species strong as a whole. It seems obvious, but all the information used to say to suppress the swarms. We are definitely in a new era in regards to our friends, the honeybees.