A swarm you say?

Picture this; two beginner beekeepers, a ridiculously tall apple tree complete with climbing thorny rose and, a fear of heights and some spectators. This was the scene for our very first swarm collection.

It happened on a quiet sunny Sunday summer solstice afternoon. I was travelling back from visiting the in laws with my husband, when I got a phone call from my mum saying the neighbours have come over to let us know our bees have started swarming in their apple tree. Thankfully for us, they're bee friendly neighbours so were happy to wait until I could get back. Half an hour of panicked phone calls between mum and I, and various desperate attempts to get a professional involved, I was home and suited up. We had finally accepted that we were in this alone-apart from a few words of wisdom by fellow beekeepers telling us we should've had a nuc ready. That didn't really make us feel any better about things as we desperately fumbled around trying to sellotape a makeshift box together with bee gloves on-not wise! Why is there never a box around when you need one?! I now feel there should be some sort of law that if you buy a hive, a nuc HAS to be purchased with it. We had no idea we needed it. Would've made prep far too easy though!

We set out to next doors garden looking like a cross between the Ghostbusters and a replica of the moon landing-probably with the same fear and adrenalin running through us too!! It was the only swarm in its natural habitat I'd ever seen, with everyone watching and the ladder in position, I knew my fate was sealed and my next step would be one small leap for man, one giant leap...ok ok so maybe I'm dramatising it slightly but my heart was certainly thumping!

I was finally there, thorns pulling my suit back and a shaky hand pruning a clear path with the neighbours secateurs! I could hear the hum of our girls and couldn't help but think they were just bored and fancied a mischievous laugh at our expense for the honey we were planning to steal from them soon! The swarm up close was breathtaking. I wish they'd done it a few metres lower so I could really take it in and watch them-unfortunately they didn't and I wanted them and me, down. Immediately.

I went up and down a few times, cutting a path and discussing in great length what the plan actually was. We'd decided that another ladder was needed so we could approach it from both sides-a sweeper and a collector. Mum got half way up the ladder and decided swarm collecting wasn't for her and that she'd be more useful directing from the ground. A quick swap of suits and dad was ready to take over (dad who has a slight bee phobia may I add) this was looking more and more like a comedy sketch and a serious case of the blind leading the blind. The neighbours had opened a bottle of wine and were enjoying the show much to our distress!

We decided that dad should be the large branch slicer and I would arrange myself so that the box surrounded the swarm ready for it to fall into it in one gently swoop. Wrong. Dad snipped a branch trying to reduce the weight dropping into the box, not realising it had bees on it-some fell into the box that was resting on my head at the time which shocked me into some form of yelp/howl causing dad to shout in a nervous, adrenaline fuelled rant. We were surrounded by loud angry bees-dad very quickly realised there was no point in trying to saw the branch as it was just distressing our girls so decided to put his hand into the swarm and gently sweep them into the box. I, at this point had my eyes shut imaging I was far away on a beach listening to the waves splashing on the shore whilst shouting "I'm a celebrity GET ME OUT OF HERE!" Which was met with giggles and  sure some hand clapping from down below. Once the branch was cleared I started my descent with the box on my head and one hand on the ladder.

I'd made it. My knees were struggling to hold my body weight as they were shaking so much but we were all safe.

We'd been given some advice on the phone by an experianced beekeeper so we just kept them in an upturned box on a sheet all wrapped up like a little parcel. Mum purchased a nuc box this morning so frames are being made up quickly ready for the swarm to be moved again into a safer, more appropriate home once the rain eases off.

Who said beekeeping was a relaxing hobby?! Our girls have definitely caused us a few dramas of late-wouldn't have it any other way? Hmmmmmm

Here's to the new queen...let's hope she's not a drama queen!!

Thanks for reading!!

Uh oh...

These past couple of days have been a bee emotional roller coaster!

We were given a new colony for our spare hive in my garden. The day they arrived started in the same way, mum and I got everything ready and comfortable for our new bees-we were slightly more relaxed and confident this time as we'd transferred a colony a couple of weeks ago.

The bees came in a nuc box this time and had been in it for 6 weeks. We'd never transferred bees from nuc to hive before but quickly realised it was so much easier! We literally picked up the frames from the box and placed them into their new home.

The bees were part of a colony that were about to swarm from a school so were collected and artificially formed into the nuc. They were the most docile bees I'd ever come across. I'd convinced myself that it was because they'd come from a primary school and had learnt to behave during inspections...slightly naive?

I literally sat in my living room and watched the bees for the next few hours, what I saw was most alarming.We were used to putting a swarm in and watching them dart around all over the place busying themselves with home improvements and establishing their location with what's hot and what's not in the foraging world! This new bunch seemed to just shy away and stay inside. We convinced ourselves that this must be the norm for a nuc swarm as they are already established.

I checked the syrup feeder later on-not a bee in sight...panic consumed me, I went straight to Twitter and old faithful, Google to seek advice. The general consensus was that their lack of movement could be because they were in shock from their car journey. It didn't feel right but having an answer allowed me to sleep that night!

Next morning I had to leave early for work, I checked on the bees but none of them were out so I assumed it was a bit too early and cold for them to be out. I later got a text from my mum saying she'd touched a bee on the outside of the hive and it just fell to the ground-another couple were responsive but didn't move much. This was so worrying as I was stuck at work and unable to help. We sought advice and were told to sprinkle the syrup along the tops of the frames and let it drip down. She did this, straight away the bees started waking up out of a sluggy trance and made their way to the sugary food. Suddenly the two and a bit lifeless frames finally began looking like a normal colony for a bit. Within half an hour a few stronger bees made their flight out of the hive. It was a sight we feared we wouldn't see from these bees. They were hours from certain death.

When I got back from work I checked the feeder-there was only one bee in there, everyone else in the hive was very sluggish so we basically hand fed them again by pouring the syrup onto the frames. They again mustered up some energy to fly but the weather was quite bad and it was getting late. For the first time in my very short bee keeping career I was able (and felt brave enough) to open the hive with no protective clothing. I was fully trusting my new bees and they were trusting me...too weak to defend their home and grateful for a sugary boost.

We will continue to check them and do our absolute best to keep them strong and alive. So many unanswered questions are in our minds, are they in shock from the drive, disorientated, hungry? All your comments/advice would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks for reading today,
Nicola