(A swarm of wild honey bees flew overhead today as we cut the beech hedging. I followed them up the drive where they landed on an apple tree to form a large tear-drop around the queen. As swarming bees are not generally aggressive, I got very close with my standard lens: but I wouldn’t advise poking them with a stick).
Coalescing on the queen bee
A new bee colony
From below
Close up of honey bee workers
A sisterly look
And keeping an eye on me
The Anxious Gardener 
Lovely photographs of the swarm. The bees certainly like the Priory garden. It is really late for bees to swarm. I don’t think it likely that they will be able to make it on their own through the winter if there are not many of them. It sounds as if you would be able to catch a swarm in the spring from the feral ones if you wanted your own hive at the Priory. Amelia
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Hullo Amelia. Taking the photos was like shooting fish in a barrel to be honest. They showed no interest in me – a few even landed on me but were perfectly docile. I’m still searching for hives or someone to site some in the garden and have had a few nibbles of interest. Fingers crossed. The increase in honey bee numbers this year has been very noticeable and now I know why. I suspect you’re right about this swarm being too small for survival. But I did see another swarm recently so presumably they have been doing so all summer. D
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It is as you say very late for bees to swarm. I was lucky enough to photograph one in June.
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I’m really pleased that they came from a colony within the garden, Brian. And it explains why I have seen far more honey bees this year than normal. Dave
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I am always so amazed by what they accomplish together, as a community.
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Me too Charlie. I found it difficult to tear myself away. D
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Whoa!!
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How do you know they were wild honey bees and not just escaped? Great shot!
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Hi Christina, good question. We found out yesterday that there’s a wild bee colony at the Priory … but it was only the noise of the new swarm that alerted us. I had noticed loads more honey bees this year in the garden and now I know why. D
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Amazing. It wouldn’t even have occurred to me to follow them down the drive, but what a reward (for all of us) at the end.
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Really Janna? The large buzzing cloud drifting away called to me! I couldn’t not follow them. They were still there this morning but gone by the afternoon. D
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Incredible!
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Long live the wild bees…..
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Indeed Jane – there aren’t many.
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Fantastic photos, that must of been quite thrilling, what a marvellous opportunity to see them close up.
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Yes it was and a good excuse to stop hedge cutting! D
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Wow, great luck to capture this wonder of nature! Thanks for sharing it. 🙂
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I’ve seen swarms a few times, Eliza. We had a colony in our old cottage’s chimney and saw swarms emerge every year. Never ceases to fascinate though. D
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That must have been some sight. I don’t think I would have been brave enough to get that close!
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Hi Annette, the workers have gorged on honey before leaving their old home and this makes them disinclined to sting. I had a couple of bees on my arms but no stings! D
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Great pictures – and no stings, hooray. Do they make their way onward, or do you catch them and tip them into a hive?
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Hi Sara, I’m not a beekeeper (though I’d like to have hives at the Priory). The swarm will fly on to a new home when scouts have found one. It’s late in the year for a swarm and this is a small one. I don’t think it would be viable for a hive. A saying goes – “A swarm in May is worth a load of hay; a swarm in June is worth a silver spoon; but a swarm in July is not worth a fly.” I don’t think a September swarm is worth much! D
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Wow. What happens now?
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Sorry it’s me elaine – rosebank ramblings – the linnet thing is a defunct WP blog.
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Hi Elaine, the new colony waits whilst some worker bees go scouting for a new home. When one finds something suitable it’ll return and the whole swarm will fly off to the new site. D
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Amazing!
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Fantastic!! Thanks for sharing…jo
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