07/04/2021
Three days ago A HUGE SWARM landed right next to our apiary at Magnolia Mountain Farm!! It was well within catching distance! It was a hot day w/ brief passing rain showers and we were down at the hives checking on them and harvesting some honey when Daryll, my beekeeping teacher said " ya'll need some glasses !" I said "why?", he said, " look right there!"
I was in awe, this was the second swarm I had ever seen in my life, (the first one we did catch and it's thriving at his daughters apiary) it was huge and hunkered down like a coat of armour against the rain. We prepared our hive body and got the ladder up and were waiting a bit for the shower to stop. The bees had other ideas I'm afraid and as soon as the shower passed they swarmed again, heading west and down over the hedge row. Such a sight!
I was a bit disappointed that they flew off yet grateful to experience such a thing and to be a tiny part of their world.
Breathtaking.
