Swarming bees

The weather on Tuesday was hot and sultry, perfect for bees to swarm. I had just finished a self congratulatory post on how my bees had come through the winter when the phone rang; one of my colonies had swarmed and the bees were clustered on a low willow tree.

Swarms are rarely hanging from a low branch that can be snipped off and the bees caught in a skep. This one was more typical with the bees clustered round the tree trunk.  The only way to capture them was to cut some branches off, place a box on top and try to drive them up into the box with smoke.

The plan worked and the following morning most of the bees were in the box clinging to a stick that I'd wedged inside. They have been re-homed in a hive in the fruit garden and.......phew! .....they weren't my bees but a wild swarm .