This week we have been waiting. Waiting for our dog, Koko to have her puppies. Waiting for our three heifers to calve. Waiting for the insurance adjuster to call. Luckily the bees have kept our minds off of all the waiting by swarming.
When bees get crowded inside a hive, they make a new queen by feeding one egg a special diet. The old queen gets the hint and takes about half the bees and leaves. They don't go far at first and if you catch them before they move on you can get another hive of bees out of the deal. That is what happened today. My daughter Savannah saw the bees forming their swarm cloud and we watched them until they settled on a tree and then I cut off the limb and put them in another hive. They are very docile when swarming (not like in the "killer bee" movies). They are full of honey for the trip and stinging is the last thing on their mind. I was able to cut that limb and carry them to their new home without even disturbing them.
The downside is that the new hive will not in all likelihood make and surplus honey for us this year, but they will be in great shape to make honey next year.
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