for a Swarm

Before approaching the apiary this morning with my able assistant, seen here, I was telling her that the swarming season for honeybees is over.

Needless to say I was confounded by the appearance of one of the largest swarms I have ever seen.  There are several thousand bees here all clustered on to a yew tree just at the back of the hives.

When bees swarm they often first settle close by for a few days whilst they send out scouts to look for a permanent home. 

I set to work and got the bees in to a skep (a container made of straw) prior to re-homing them this evening.

We have a saying in times of difficulty that "the bees have not read the same text book as me"!