They wouldn’t leave me bee!!!

[dragerman]

I was down at the dock taking some measurements at the bottom of the steps when I heard a humming noise that got louder and louder. I thought it was an approaching aircraft as there has been a fair bit of air traffic as a result of an air-show over the weekend. It was getting rather loud and must have been fairly close because I could feel a vibration in the air... it was then that I looked up and realized I was amidst a swarm of bees! The bees made a cloud that was at least 25ft in diameter and were blocking my exit from the dock.

After about twenty minutes the swarm was starting to thin as they were collecting in an adjacent tree, they didn’t seem too interested in me so I cautiously made my way past them and out in the clear. What a relief! Buzzing insects make me nervous and can be quite startling for me (especially when I’m riding along and catch one in the helmet... don’t ask me how I know!). I’ve never witnessed anything like this before so it was quite an experience. Here are some photos as they started collecting in the tree…

[saddlebum]

I have heard of bees swarming hope it wasn't a strain of those african bees

[StuD]

In the middle of that swarm is the Queen, they have left there hive looking for new digs. If it came from a Beekeeper he just lost 1/3 to 1/2 his colony & honey production. (poor husbantry) :canada:

[RandyR]

Bees are an important part of the ecosystem and even commercial agriculture.They seem to have increasing problems surviving the use of pesticides and interbreeding with non-native strains.

[pegscraper]

I was also going to add that they must have been moving a queen bee. I've seen a couple swarms on our place in the past few years. One I think was just an overnight stop in a tree. They were gone the next day. Another one made a home in the walls of our basement. I saw the day they came in. The swarm was half the size of our house. I had to call a bee keeper to come and remove them. He told me that he had been keeping bees for many years, but admitted that he had never seen a swarm. He lives in the city though.

[sarges46]

I think thats pretty cool actually! Not too many get to see that without getting zapped a few times I would think.

 

Bee's= honey...natures perfect food.

 

Not so good if they made your house their home though.

[dragerman]

Yes, it was an amazing experience especially to ‘bee’ so close... believe me though, it wasn’t by choice. At one point I had more the a few landing and walking on me, at first I danced like no one has ever seen but then I realized they didn’t seem bothered by me. I thought of the bee keepers and as much as I didn’t like it I didn’t panic and calmly brushed them off. I was more concerned with one crawling down my shirt... then on top of the dance you’d of seen me strip!

[99silver]

Wednesday I drove through a swarm in my truck, it was like a shotgun blast to the windshield. Never in all my years of driving had I driven through anything like that.

[Yammer Dan]

I wonder if they were Honey bees? I've seen them swarm but i don't know what other kind of bees swarm. I think I would like to have some when i retire. I love Honey.

[BradT]

I wonder if they were Honey bees? I've seen them swarm but i don't know what other kind of bees swarm. I think I would like to have some when i retire. I love Honey.

 

I believe it happens when the weather changes fast, but they will swarm and a little spray will calm them down

 

BRad

[StuD]

Honey Bees that swarm are not aggressive, they are full of honey that they have taken to set up new hive. The worker bees build Queen cells & raise Queens in the spring by feeding the larva "Royal Jelly". the resident Queen tries to kill all the up & coming userpers but if old , non producing young or dead, the Vergin queen hatches mates in the sky with a number of Drones (male bees, no other function, not even a stinger) only once in her life, Swarms & sets up new hive & starts laying eggs that she now fertilizes.

There is your short & sweet history on Honey Bees, They are dissapearing due to attacts of 2 mites (varoa & tracia ) & the Africanized Bee :canada:

[Aussie Annie]

far out!! thats' a lot of bee's.

How come so many "big burly bikers'" know so much about little bitty bee's

[dogman]

Dragerman, glad you didn't get stung. I'm sure once you got over the shock that it was neet to see, but at the same time probable something that you never care to see again.