We are the swarm....

Let's take a minute to talk about bee swarms.

Why do bees swarm?

Why would anyone ever want to leave this place?













A bee swarm is a natural phenomenon that occurs when a colony splits itself in half. This is primarily due to overcrowding in the hive. The queen gets fed up with everyone and splits- usually taking about half the hive with her. Swarming behavior is frequently exhibited in the spring, when the queen is very busy laying eggs to boost the population for the honey flow. Swarming allows the honeybee population to grow and is their natural way of expanding their population.

Are swarms dangerous?

Of course, with any large number of stinging insects there is a danger factor. The deal with swarms is this:
These bees are full of honey- this added weight causes them to be a bit slower than usual. Bee swarms are looking for a new place to call "Home" and frankly, could care less about you. However- if bees feel threatened under any circumstance, they will attack.

I have a swarm in my backyard at this very moment. Can I just go and cut them down? My neighbor has a can of insect killer and has offered me that solution as well...

In the wonderful State of Georgia, we appreciate and value our honeybees. They are an integral piece of our agricultural economy. In Georgia, it is illegal to molest and/or kill a honeybee hive. Besides, there are few things more upsetting than a dead bee colony (at least to me anyway).

Witness:

                                               The Horror!

Instead of contacting the proper people, this guy decided that a can of RAID attached to a plastic rake was the right thing to do. However macho his decimation of these innocent bees must have made him feel; his remedy was cruel and unethical. This is the exact WRONG way to treat a swarm or unwanted beehive.

If you are not an experienced beekeeper and have unexpected bees on your property the singular best thing you can do is call a professional. I cannot stress this enough. Do not bug them. Do not poke sticks at them. Do not let your kids throw rocks at them. Leave them alone and call the Metro Atlanta Beekeepers Association at:  678.653.7507.

Your other option is to simply leave them alone. Swarms don't like to be out in the open. The bees are not protected and they are very vulnerable in this state. Their main priority is to quickly find a suitable home. Most swarms relocate themselves within 24 hours.  However, this can cause problems in an urban setting. Many times a colony will relocate into an attic or in between the walls of a house. This can cause major and expensive damage, as removing a bee colony from structure of a home is a complicated process that requires specialized equipment.

The quick and dirty:

If you have a swarm, call a professional. Consider it your mitzvah for the day.

A funny thing happened on the way to the hardware store....

So, last Friday I was on my home from visiting with my grandparents when I  decided to swing by the Lowe's at Edgwood and pick up a ceiling fan for our overly-hot kitchen.
I was not even five minutes away when J called to tell me that she was standing outside of Target and that there was a swarm of bees right in front. And yes, everyone was freaking out.
I tried to call the Atlant Bee Rescue group, but they are apparently defunct- which is a shame.

It was up to me.

I told the grounds keeper and the manager of Target that I'd be back in half an hour. I went to Lowe's and instead of buying the much needed ceiling fan, I purchased the ever-handy 5 gallon bucket instead. I went home, changed out of my skirt and pumps and into my jeans. Grabbed my smoker and hedge clippers and was on my way to BeeTown.

The photos following depict me catching a swarm of bees. Please do not try this if you've never had any experience with bees. Also, in the state of Georgia it is illegal to kill honeybees, so if you have a swarm your best bet is to call the Metro Atlanta Beekeeping Association. Their number is: 678.653.7507. Do not try this at home, folks.

The photos pretty much describe what happened next:

This is what a swarm of bees looks like.

This is me smoking them to keep them calm.

This was a pretty substantial colony. Easily 30,000 bees.

Kelvin, Julia and I all worked together to get these babies in the bucket.

(yes, my underwear is hanging out of my pants, I know, I know)

All we had to do is trim the branch and put on the lid!

I only squished 3!

I wish I could say that the bees are happy in their new home in my backyard, but alas, I cannot.

They overheated in the bucket on the car ride home and by the end of it they were all goners.

I was devastated.

Bees are fragile, delicate creatures, people. The 15 minute car ride home proved to much. I am trying to take this loss as a  learning experience, but it is difficult to do. I gave no consideration to ventilation and that thoughtless error cost the entire colony their lives- I have no one to blame but myself. And that SUCKS. As of yet, I have not been able to find a bucket with screened lid, so perhaps I will have to make one myself... for the next time!