A swarm of bees in May
Is worth a load of hay;
A swarm of bees in June
Is worth a silver spoon;
A swarm of bees in July
Is not worth a fly.
bees
I’ve escaped, carved out a couple of minutes; I just had to tell you…
On Friday evening some friends came over for supper. They came to meet the New Zealand branch of the family. They came to pick up some plants. They came to see Dillings, one of our hay meadows, at its beauteous best; abounding, bursting, tumbling with orchids jostling with meadow thistle, intense blue-purple spikes of bugle, the cowslip-yellow flowers and rattling bladders of hay rattle, walnut-sized madder-pink heads of red clover, tall delicate stems of ragged robin, a yellow-starred understory of vetches – the whole washed in a haze of liquid gold from buttercups in the setting sun. D was whooping with glee as she spied ever larger fatter bigger better spears of orchids egged on by me, when a quiet thoughtful voice from behind us said “Isn’t that a swarm of bees?”
southern marsh orchids in Dillings
Stopping dead in our tracks we both looked high into an oak overhanging the field margin. “Where? Where?” We asked scouring the tree, squinting our eyes up through the dense canopy of leaves. “Where? Where? We can’t see?”
“Just there. Look! No, much lower” pointing, A guided our eyes to an oak limb not that far away “See? On that branch.” And there, hanging quite peacefully in a small fork not much above our heads was a conical swarm of bees.
'my' bees!
“Oh, wow!” I spluttered “Wow, oh wow” I turned to A “I’ve never ever seen that in all my years here! You are clever!”
In the fading evening light it could have so easily have been missed and certainly, as D and I were ginormous orchid hunting our eyes were scouring the field at nothing above knee level!
I oh-so wanted those bees. Visions of orchid honey from bees that had chosen my very own flower-filled hay meadow danced in front of my eyes! But alas, I’m not a knowledgeable beekeeper. I had very little idea of how to contain a swarm, other than to brush or shake it into a container. And I had no equipment.
“Why don’t you check in the morning?” suggested A “They might still be here. They’re very quiet at the moment. Then you can decide.”
First thing next morning I checked before I started the stock round. They were still there.
At a reasonable hour I phoned various beekeepers but unfortunately no one was able to help…unless, that is, they could take home the swarm. I rang the National Bee Supplies in Okehampton and spoke to a most obliging man who said he could let me have some frames and suitable bee-collection wooden box until I was sorted, but, not until Monday, as being Saturday they were shutting. Mid-morning I checked the bees…they were still there. A little later I was phoned by a beekeeper who helpfully told me how best to collect the swarm and how to construct a temporary smoker out of a tin, chicken wire and a funnel. Excitedly I made up a bee suit out of Robert’s butterfly net (vale), my hat, overalls, waterproofs and gloves; collected up a bucket and cover, makeshift smoker with accruements, stepladders, a hand brush and set off up the drive and across Dillings to take possession of ‘my’ bees.
Arriving at the oak I looked up at the branch and saw…nothing. My bees had flown!
10 comments
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June 16, 2009 at 12:19 am
alison
As wonderful as it would have been to actually have a beehive of bees that had chosen you, it is still pretty wonderful and magical to have seen them at all. And what a blessing that there are still enough healthy bees that they ARE there…
June 16, 2009 at 4:32 am
Jane
I can imagine your excitement. Those bees had chosen you and now they’d gone. How disappointing. Oh well, nothing for it now… you will have to get bees anyway! It’s an omen!
June 16, 2009 at 6:42 am
Mopsa
I have a feeling in my bones that they might come back…all those fabulous, wonderful orchids and that yummy pollen – where else could they enjoy such a feast?
June 16, 2009 at 6:48 am
Lindsay
Perhaps they flew over to Charlie Elder’s – they keep bees!
June 16, 2009 at 9:19 am
PG
Noooo! I was so excited for you too…but how marvellous to see a picture of a swarm. Silly bees, they could have sucked on orchids all summer. Or whatever bees do…
June 16, 2009 at 1:58 pm
Nan
Years ago we kept bees, and once they swarmed. It was the most amazing thing because when they swarm they are completely safe to be around. I love bees, and am quite worried about them. There seems to be a worldwide problem.
Your hay meadow has a name?!
Fantastic shot of the swarm.
June 17, 2009 at 3:05 pm
Maggie
No! What a shame! If you see another, ring us (no. on website) and Ian will come over. We’re not that far away and feel that after the help we’ve had with our failing (now recovering) colony it’s time to do the beekeeping community a return favour.
We’re novices ourselves, but if you can’t get any more experienced help we’ll give it a go….
Ian has had a bait box up in our trees in the hope of a swarm this year, but no luck.
Thanks also for your (not so recent) comment on my blog – email notification not working so I’ve just discovered a pile of comments from various people and an embarrassed they weren’t acknowledged.
June 17, 2009 at 8:56 pm
throughstones
That was very inconsiderate of them! But the Marsh Orchids are lovely!
June 17, 2009 at 11:01 pm
mountainear
An allergy put paid to my bee-keeping but I so wish I could keep them again – especially now we live miles from pesky complaining neighbours. There’s nothing quite like opening up a thriving hive – the smell of wax and honey and the hum of contented industrious bees. And the honey?….the stuff that dreams are made of.
I remember climbing on my car roof to capture a swarm in a tree like yours. For a bunch of little flying insects they were remarkably heavy. Happy days.
June 23, 2009 at 3:30 am
Catherine Sherman
Reading your blog is always a treat! I would love to see a swarm. I did photograph some honeybees today, one by one on flowers and then some leaf cutter bees in a bee house a friend had. Not quite the same as that magnificent swarm….Maybe you’ll find out where it went. Can’t wait until your next post.