What Are These Honeybees Doing in Little Silver?

Michael Megill June 18, 2012 at 07:24 pm

Make honey I would think :-)

Linda Goff June 18, 2012 at 07:49 pm

It appears to be a swarm. It happens when the queen leaves the nest, followed by worker bees and drones, in search of a new nesting place. It's their way of keeping the colony healthy and reproducing. Often the bees swarm when the nest is too crowded or overpopulated, though some experts have noted that the mild winter might be contributing to increased swarming this year. The bees are not aggressive or overly defensive when swarming, though better as always to stay away and not antagonize them. And please, don't spray insecticides or try to destroy them - these valuable creatures will move along to a new home shortly without harming anything.
The resident might want to contact a local beekeeper, who may be interested in collecting the swarm to provide a healthy, protected nesting environment.

Jeffm624 June 18, 2012 at 09:21 pm

That happened in our yard a few years ago. The next day they moved into a hole up in a tree in our yard.

Amy Byrnes (Editor) June 18, 2012 at 09:31 pm

Lucille, who shared this photo, e-mailed me to say that by Sunday, the bees had already moved on. Truly, the perfect house guests ...

Rain June 19, 2012 at 11:59 am

If it ever happens to anyone else just call the state apiarist and they'll collect them

S Talarico June 20, 2012 at 06:41 pm

Article in yesterday's NYTimes about honeybee swarms:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/19/nyregion/honeybee-swarms-increase-in-nyc-after-mild-spring.html?_r=1

Amy Byrnes (Editor) June 20, 2012 at 06:54 pm

Honeybees were also in the news earlier in the month on News 4: http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Beekeeping-New-York-City-Bee-Swarms-Spike-Clusters-Emergency-156904525.html