Dr. B has been fighting to keep up with the swarms from our bursting hives. Over the last week she has had a swarm a day. This is swarm season and no one should be alarmed. Bees swarm when they are ready to split the hive themselves, bee reproduction. A queen will leave with a group of worker bees full of honey to find a new home. The left over bees will create a new queen and keep doing what they do. When a hive swarms they take a lot of the honey resources with them. Plus, part of your bees you have loved and nurtured are leaving.
Luckily, Dr. B saw all the swarms before they left and gave them a new homes.
This happy little swarm happened while we were on campus. Earlier in the morning we were doing regular hive maintenance and bringing up the swarms that Dr. B had already gathered. There was also a table set up in student commons to share about the bee program. While talking to students about the bees they decided to show up. Dr. B and students watched the bees fly from the top of the north classroom down to the tree. It was fascinating to watch and became a good show.
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