We had a bit of unexpected excitement out in the orchard last week.
The husband’s bees swarmed . . . TWICE!
The first time, the husband and bee-keeping friend, were too busy dealing with the swarm to take photos (and I was still fast asleep in bed!), so the above is of the second swarm. Luckily, the husband had equipped himself, earlier in the year, with a second, smaller, hive (that he painted bright red) so on the morning of the first swarm our two amateur bee-keepers were able to knock the clump of buzzing business, and it dropped (more or less) into the open hive. A fair number of bees did land outside
but since the queen was safely in the box, it was only a matter of hours before the ones outside went inside.
Anyway . . . the husband was really pleased, because it meant the colony in his main hive was thriving, and the captured swarm meant he’d be able to have two hives up and running this year. However, the following morning, the bees in the main hive swarmed a second time!
Same photo as above, just zooming in slightly. We didn’t have a spare box or anything to capture this lot, so the husband phoned bee-keeping friend again. Another gentle knock and this lot was plopped down into the friend’s portable hive. They spotted a queen bee in there too.
Back at the main hive . . .
there was an awful lot of buzzing about and general agitation. Our bee-keepers spotted yet another queen bee already in residence there, so, in theory, the husband will have two colonies in our orchard, and his friend will be able to adopt the second swarm.
Claire93's Blog 
What a coincidence. We also had a bee swarming incident last week – and we don’t even keep bees. It is in my list of blogs to write which may or may not come to fruition.
I’ll bet your husband was extremely excited.
oh yes, do please write about your swarming incident!
did a local beekeeper come and catch the swarm? do you know where they came from?
our bees didn’t travel far at all. Literally left the original hive and all gathered in the closest apple tree (both times) which the husband was relieved about because he waited several years to get his first bees and paid something like 180€ for his first colony!
Thank you, that was interesting 🙂
The original queen must have been very strong to have raised two viable daughters and survive the colony splitting so much. A very good sign!
That is amazing that the hive could split three ways! Hurrah for hive no. 2 and one for the friend to boot!
Will you be able to keep both swarms. I vaguely recall that if the swarm came from a nearby hive they need to be moved to stop them going home?
for the moment, hives are in all the orchard, but very spaced out, to allow bees to settle into new homes. In a week or so, yes, the husband hopes to move hives closer together and bees should have worked out which hive is home.
🐝🐝🐝
I love bees but sadly my father (who used to keep bees) is allergic but do miss busy bee dramas 🐝🐝🐝 (love the bee emoji)
I have a gluten allergy and doctor had blood tests run for insects too, because I react fairly badly to some. Turns out I’m allergic to wasp & hornet stings, but I should be fine if a bee stings (which is very unlikely anyway because they’re very placid insects).
The bees in my garden swarmed too! I phoned the friends who own them and they came to collect it. Maybe I should write a post too!
and why not indeed!
The boys have BEEn vety busy, I’m drooling over thoughts of fresh honey
the husband didn’t take any honey last year and I don’t know if he will this year.
I thought you always get honey from hives. I am a little Bee illiterate ^^
well you can ^^ but since you also need to feed them a special sweet mix to get them through the colder seasons . . . the husband didn’t harvest any honey last year because it was their first year.
I learn something new everyday. Just presumed they fended for themselves and sweet honey was a result of whatever they are. I do know they need water left out if its dry, for them to survive
thinking about it, they may be able to survive all year round because of the climate, and assuming there are fresh flowers all year. Here, with distinct seasons, and cold winters, they need help.
Very interesting story. And the photo is awesome! I had no idea bees gathered in trees like that.