Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Catching the Heart Swarm

This is the footage of my first swarm. It was a cold, rainy Saturday in April, a day when bees typically would not swarm. Honeybees usually wait for a few warm days in a row (above 65) before they swarm. It is the bee's natural form of reproduction. When the colony feels healthy and large enough, they start building queen cells. Once a new queen is born and established (through feeding her royal jelly), the old queen takes about half the existing hive and flies optimistically into the warm spring air. They usually land on a nearby tree branch or post and wait while scout bees search the environs for a suitable home.

This is the time when bees are most docile and least likely to sting, especially if you talk to them and let them know your intentions. They can sense fear, unease and negative intent and will react defensively. However, if you approach them with love and respect, the whole event can be fairly effortless.
Someday I plan to do this without gloves or maybe even a veil.

Take a look at my first try!

1 comment:

  1. With the sound of the birds and the bees (and was that a creek in the background?) I felt like I was there with you. It took me back to the fairy tree down the road from stepping stones. I can't wait to meet your new fairy friends.

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