bees

bald eagle · 03-07-2009, 19:03

We were sitting outside the m/h having a beer as you do, and i heard a humming
sound which sounded like a motorbike in the distance, the sound got nearer and nearer,
so i looked across to the site gate to see it whizz past but it did'nt. So then i looked
up and the sky was black it was a swarm of bees and they were over the top of the
m/h, we were up out of the chairs and in the m/h like a bullet out of a gun, we sat tight
for five minutes until they flew of into the distance.
Has anybody else had this happen to them.

regards
bald eagle

dylan · 03-07-2009, 20:32

Sounds scary !

Tony Lee · 03-07-2009, 21:12

Kept 100 hives for a few years so have seen it many times. When conditions are good the hive population increases to bursting point so they raise a new queen bee so that part of the population can head off to start a new hive. Scouts go out to find a suitable spot and after loading up with as much food as they can carry, off they go. Somewhere in the middle of that would have been a queen. Generally all very peaceful although it looks and sounds pretty scary. if they can't find a suitable spot immediately they will settle in a tree for the night before heading off again.

Beekeepers try to prevent this happening by monitoring how full the frames are and adding extra supers (boxes) and/or removing some of the excess honey so they always have enough living and storage space.

Google Swarming bees if you want more info

gazznsam · 03-07-2009, 23:37

yup seen it once,

driving through france there was a black cloud just above the road, i slowed down trying to make out what it was, too uniform to be smoke,

got closer then realised it was a swarm of bees, wound the windows up as fast as we could and had no choice but to drive through them,

not too many of them hit the windscreen, they seemed good at flying around the van, but it was a bit frightening, it just went black as we went through them,

then i had to get the ones out that went in the air scoop for the ventilation system.

DESCO · 04-07-2009, 09:08

Once saw a swarm land in a tree on a farm we were staying at, along came the beekeeper from where the swarm had come from and he put them in a large box to return them to a new hive he had. Did not get too close but enjoyed watching.

Dave