They settled in about 30 feet up, and within 20 minutes you couldn't hear them buzzing anymore. This is an old silver maple that really should come down. But I am going to get an arborist to come out and prune it way back in hopes I can keep it for just a few years longer. Removing and replacing it will be very expensive.
I'm hoping those bees don't decide the tree is a good place to hive up. I'd hate to destroy their home, and the arborist would probably be unhappy if he had to contend with a mess of angry bees way up in the air.
This swarm is too high and too close to power lines to make capturing it feasible. Oh well!That makes four swarms spotted in just over a month's span. Click on the Swarm tag below to see the previous ones.
Dang! You are a bee magnet!
ReplyDeleteThat settles it. I'm never moving to Denver!
ReplyDeleteCrikey, I'd be screaming my head off legging it away down the road at speed. Honestly four swarms?! I'd be a basket case by now
ReplyDeleteoh.my.god. spiders...bees, this is freaking me out!! hahaha.
ReplyDeleteAw, come on, it's totally cool! Swarming bees have no interest in people. They just want to find a new home and make some honey.
ReplyDeleteShow the bees some love!
It is totally cool and there might be something to this bee magnet business. Maybe you ought to get a suit? It's also really nice to hear on the heals of all this dead bee fear we've had lately.
ReplyDeleteyeah maybe the colony collapsing has something to do with this??
ReplyDeleteThe dead bee fear is a real concern, so this is very heartening. These are wild bees; most of the problems with colony collapse disorder have been seen among the commercial beekeepers (though of course it's hard to know when a wild colony disappears).
ReplyDeleteThe fact that I've seen so many swarms is a testament to my neighborhood's healthy environment, I guess, plus some luck on my part. I think I'm just particularly tuned in, too.
Amazing! I'm writing about bees right now for a Friday post. I hope you'll pop by then and share some insights.
ReplyDeleteIn the meantime, consider yourself lucky that you have 'free bees'.
We have a lot of bees in our California-native(ish) garden, and today I'm building them a bee house. Apparently Mason bees don't hive, so to build them a house, you drill holes in a 4x4 and hang it. I will be looking constantly to see if anyone moves in!
ReplyDeleteThats kind of scary. I don't like bees.
ReplyDeleteI'll be sure to stop by, Dana!
ReplyDeleteKathi, that's very cool. I was doing some research on orchard mason bees (the natives) and thinking I should build some houses for them, too.
Love the bees, stacy! Hate the wasps and hornets, but love the bees. Without them, we wouldn't have many of the foods we so enjoy.