A swarm in May is worth a load of hay,
A swarm in June ,a silver spoon,
but a swarm in July isn't worth a fly.
As it is almost July, can I get away with thinking that today's swarm isn't worth a fly? Iwas all set to capture if they landed within reason but off they flew into next door's garden. What is it with next door's garden this year? First the Naughty Duck decides to have her next there, and now the first swarm of the season lands there. I was feeling all smug and proud -- we had avoided a swarm and the honey was building up nicely, but no, despite cutting out the Queen cells two weeks ago, the bees took it into their miniscule brains to swarm.
We have a ton of honey,I think --this year appears to be very good on the honey front. And there is always a late honey flow when the Rosebay Willow Herb comes into flower, and sometimes we get heather honey (which is a pain to extract) but...Just once I would like to avoid swarms. It would make me feel like a good beekeeper. There again the brood box is wall to wall bees and they will do what natures. The beeswill go out and populate the general area.
Due to the varroa mite, there are hardly any wild honey bees left. It is one of the reasons why keeping bees is so important. Bees are essential for pollination of certain crops and flowers.
But why do they have to be my bees, and NOT the horrid queen either.
In other news:
I finished the rough draft and my editor likes my Viking synopsis. So hooray I have to something to write next!
3 comments:
I imagine it feels great! Congratulations, but hugs on the bee swarm. You really should work some of your bee knowledge into a book some day. :)
Vikings? Sounds exciting!
What happens when they swarm? Does the whole colony just pick up and leave and you don't see them again? What's your neighbour going to do with all those bees?
Hooray for finishing the draft and hoorah for the Vikings!
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