Posts Tagged: swarm

A Honey of a Ride and a Whale of a Legacy

It was a honey of a ride. My inaugural Bug Squad blog on Aug. 6, 2008 dealt with a swarm of bees that "hitched" a ride on Aug. 1...

In this image, taken Aug. 1, 2008, Extension apiculturist Eric Mussen (left) talks to vanpool driver Keir Reavie, head of the Biological and Agriculture Sciences Department at Shields Library, about the bees that "hitched" a ride on a commuter van traveling from El Cerrito to the UC Davis campus. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

In this image, taken Aug. 1, 2008, Extension apiculturist Eric Mussen (left) talks to vanpool driver Keir Reavie, head of the Biological and Agriculture Sciences Department at Shields Library, about the bees that "hitched" a ride on a commuter van traveling from El Cerrito to the UC Davis campus. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Extension apiculturist Eric Mussen holds out his hand as the bees gather. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Extension apiculturist Eric Mussen holds out his hand as the bees gather. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Bees-Ness of the Bees

The bee swarm touched down April 1, settling near the wind chimes on her patio roof. "I saw the swarm when I looked out the window,"...

Around 6 p.m., April 1, the bee swarm at the Starner home looked like this. (Photo by the Craig and Shelly Hunt family)

Around 6 p.m., April 1, the bee swarm at the Starner home looked like this. (Photo by the Craig and Shelly Hunt family)

Beekeeper Craig Hunt (on ladder) and his daughter, Emma, 8, work to retrieve the bee swarm. Emma learned beekeeping from her father, who taught 4-H beekeeping prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Shelly Hunt Photo)

Beekeeper Craig Hunt (on ladder) and his daughter, Emma, 8, work to retrieve the bee swarm. Emma learned beekeeping from her father, who taught 4-H beekeeping prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Shelly Hunt Photo)

Close-up of Craig Hunt smoking the bees. (Photo by Shelly Hunt)

Close-up of Craig Hunt smoking the bees. (Photo by Shelly Hunt)

Beekeeper Emma Hunt, 8, tends to the bees. (Photo by Shelly Hunt)

Beekeeper Emma Hunt, 8, tends to the bees. (Photo by Shelly Hunt)

Bees in a box! The Vacaville patio swarm yielded two boxes. (Craig and Shelly Hunt Photo)

Bees in a box! The Vacaville patio swarm yielded two boxes. (Craig and Shelly Hunt Photo)

Blessed Are the Bees

Blessed are the bees. When honey bees swarmed last week at the entrance to the Epiphany Episcopal Church in Vacaville, the site seemed quite...

The honey bees swarmed last week to the entrance to the Epiphany Episcopal Church, Vacaville. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The honey bees swarmed last week to the entrance to the Epiphany Episcopal Church, Vacaville. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Vacaville beekeeper Alyssa Hunt, 13, with a box for the bees. The queen, however, was not in the cluster--just her pheromone. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Vacaville beekeeper Alyssa Hunt, 13, with a box for the bees. The queen, however, was not in the cluster--just her pheromone. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Veteran beekeeper Craig Hunt raises a frame to the site where the small cluster was. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Veteran beekeeper Craig Hunt raises a frame to the site where the small cluster was. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A drone hanging out by the cluster, waiting for his sisters to feed him. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A drone hanging out by the cluster, waiting for his sisters to feed him. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The bees may have swarmed from what appears to be a permanent colony in the bell tower of the Epipany Episcopal Church. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The bees may have swarmed from what appears to be a permanent colony in the bell tower of the Epipany Episcopal Church. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

It Happened on Friday the 13th

It happened on Friday the 13th. It was the first swarm of the season at the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility on Bee Biology Road,...

Honey bee swarm on the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Facility grounds on Friday the 13th. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Honey bee swarm on the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Facility grounds on Friday the 13th. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Bee breeder-geneticist Susan Cobey catches the swarm. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Bee breeder-geneticist Susan Cobey catches the swarm. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Bees enter a strategically placed hive. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Bees enter a strategically placed hive. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Bee Swarm!

Bee swarms are absolutely fascinating.Several years ago, when bee breeder-geneticist Susan Cobey was teaching a queen- rearing class at the Harry H....

Honey bee swarm in the North Hall/Dutton Hall complex at UC Davis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Honey bee swarm in the North Hall/Dutton Hall complex at UC Davis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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