Back garden Bee swarm

My friend Adrienne phoned to say there was a swarm of bees in town and she was going to collect it for her newly built hive. The swarm was just a few streets away in the Pells area of Lewes. I cycled down there and walked up the alley way between the backs of two terraces, eyes wide open, looking for my first swarm. Would they be flying creating small clouds like in Winnie the Pooh? After passing 5 gardens with no sign of buzzing i asked an old lady sunning herself in her garden. Neither she nor her neighbour opposite had heard nor seen any bees. She said " I think i'd be able to tell if there was a swarm of bees around here." Now arrived Adrienne, and she knew exactly where to go. Just 4 more narrow gardens up was a huge swarm of bees. They had come from the hive pictured and travelled 20 feet to the next garden. Luckily the lady whose garden they were encamped in was

on holiday. The two photos through the trellis are from the garden with the hives in it. Though i've never worked with bees or seen a swarm before, i have always felt confident and safe with individual bees that come visiting. They are quite happy to be carried to an open window when they are lost in the house. So I went into the garden and walked up to the table where they were gathered. I believe they had chosen the two small terracotta pots as a cool haven for their queen. Its just that they couldn't all fit in them, so 80% of them were bundled under the table. Without a white suit to protect me, i tied my hair in a scarf, and tucked my trousers and shirt in. Bees get tangled up in hair and sting out of frustration. I was shown how the bees are so pre-occupied with making their new home, that one can put a hand safely onto the swarm , even nestling a hand into the mass and the bees will part allowing fingers to nestle amongst them. What an incredible feeling it was, very peaceful. Adrienne and placed the newly built hive under the table and brushed bees into it, they landed in clumps making loud thump noises. With about 80 %of the bees in the hive, most importantly the Queen, the other bees slowly walked towards it, like one walks to the sofa after a sunday lunch. I think they are gorged with food for their swarming adventure. At this point i had to leave the bee party. I've heard since that the bees are settled on Adriennes allotment.
My partner Marianna has freshly whitewashed yet empty hives in our garden. We are waiting for another swarm, Marianna has even made a skep from straw, a traditional basket for catching swarms in. Domestic beekeeping without the commercial pressures normal beekeepers face is becoming increasingly important with the devastating effects of the verola virus , and of neonicotinoid pesticide damage to bee colonies world wide. Without bees our lives, dependant as they are on pollination of fruits and vegetables, would become impossible. www.biobees.com are dedicated to natural forms of bee keeping, also see the excellent herbal website for a great article on natural beekeeping http://theherbarium.wordpress.com/category/8-articles/g-beekeeping/
Buy local honey ! Support your local bees.