Bee Report - May 17, 2012

Got an excited phone call from our board chair Julie, saying that there was a swarm of bees in her friend's spruce tree in town, and did I want to come and get it as her friend was severely allergic to bees? Whoa! Could this be true?

Not only was it true, but the huge swarm was only three feet off the ground. The swarm had been in her tree for almost a week, but it seems that the cold weather had slowed down their scouting for a suitable hive space.


They appeared to welcome the box we gave them. We decided that until we had some form of critter protection in the new partially-constructed beeyard, we would keep the newly acquired hive close to the building, and provide a radio and light (not for the bees, but to deter overly curious night creatures). Ayla gave the new bees syrup to help them get settled. Good thing, as it rained for several days afterward (an understatement, as locals know) and the bees couldn't get out to forage.

~JoAnne Henderson