Swarm of bees

[MissDumpling]

We've just had a huge swarm of bees descend in our garden. They've now moved on to a neighbour's garden where they've quickly formed a clump on top of a fir hedge. Would this be of interest to local beekeepers? They're located in a garden on Oakhurst Grove.

[Chick]

Yeh they are mine(no more)they arent dangerous and if you see them again please let me know. Thanks.

[intexasatthe moment]

Chick is it early for them to be swarming ? Or were they doing something else ? Absconding is it called ?

[Chick]

No they were definitely swarming. Hopefully there is a virgin queen in there but I wont know for sure for a couple or three weeks. Yes it is a bit early.

[Sue]

Are they swarming early because of the warm weather?

[Chick]

Partly. Mostly I think because of over population, bit of a blow really, I was going to split the hive in about two weeks.

[singalto]

I thought there was a huge shortage of bees..

[Abe_froeman]

Did you catch up with them chick?

[BrandNewGuy]

singalto Wrote:

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> I thought there was a huge shortage of bees..

There's some evidence that the honeybee population in central London has increased to the point that there are regular shortages of food for them. City firms have put hives on their roofs to be 'green' with little thought about where the poor bees are going to go to get food. Planting lots of bee-friendly flowers would have been more 'green'.

[Sue]

:(

[singalto]

Can we as gardeners help?

[Marmattee]

Definitely singalto! Plant plenty of bee friendly flowers - http://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/plant-inspiration/plants-for-bees/

Sorry you lost your bees Chick - they must have come through winter well to have swarmed so early! I lost a hive....:(

[Dougal Mulldoon]

.

[Chick]

Sorry you lost your hive, what happened, noseema?

Hopefuly mine should recover lets hope for some good weather.

Marmattee Wrote:

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> Definitely singalto! Plant plenty of bee friendly

> flowers -

> http://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/plant-inspira

> tion/plants-for-bees/

>

> Sorry you lost your bees Chick - they must have

> come through winter well to have swarmed so early!

> I lost a hive....:(

[Chick]

Abe_froeman Wrote:

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> Did you catch up with them chick?

No sadly.

[Chick]

This may be of interest:

https://speakout.38degrees.org.uk/campaigns/2094?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=advert&utm_campaign=29_3_2017_bees_petition_dead_image&bucket=facebook-advert-29_3_2017_bees_petition_dead_image

[dirac]

Very interesting to see a swarm this early in the year, and commiserations for the loss of a colony! I've seen some posts on the London Beekeepers facebook group about them seeing an increase in their colonies over winter to the point where the look like they will swarm. Perhaps the mild winter has something to do with this?

[fruityloops]

beads?

[Chick]

fruityloops Wrote:

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> beads?

Eh?

[snowy]

Someone's a fan of Arrested Development!

Chick, hope they find their way home.

[Chick]

Thanks.

[Help-Ma-Boab]

I'm rooting for the return of Chicks bees.

#TeamChick

[ponderwoman]

I've often gathered swarms in April. Its been a mild winter and all they need is some great weather if they've got plans...... Chick, leave an unoccupied hive out (with frames and wax) and I'm sure it will fill up with someones bees soon. It will have been your old queen that has left- your hive will now have a new virgin queen.

I expect the hives in Peckham Park are managed properly as the keeper has paid ?45 for each Queen, but if they are really set on their plans you might find they suddenly belong to you!

Good luck.

[JohnL]

Brrr it's gone cold.

Think bees will have gone to ground.

[Chick]

Thanks for that. I left a bate hive with a frame of brood but no luck. I moved it back to the main hive just now 6.00pm. This is a really bad time to take a hive apart, they went nuts. If I hadn?t seen the swarm I wouldn?t have noticed the hive is full of bees and brood so fingers crossed. Thanks for all your messages. Chick.

ponderwoman Wrote:

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> I've often gathered swarms in April. Its been a

> mild winter and all they need is some great

> weather if they've got plans...... Chick, leave an

> unoccupied hive out (with frames and wax) and I'm

> sure it will fill up with someones bees soon. It

> will have been your old queen that has left- your

> hive will now have a new virgin queen.

>

> I expect the hives in Peckham Park are managed

> properly as the keeper has paid ?45 for each

> Queen, but if they are really set on their plans

> you might find they suddenly belong to you!

>

> Good luck.