Don’t panic! How to escape a swarm of bees
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Version 0 of 1. “The keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams,” said Henry David Thoreau, who clearly knew what he was talking about. Swarms of honeybees have appeared in Salisbury, Marlborough and Chichester, and the growing fashion for amateur beekeeping may be to blame. So, are middle-class novices not looking after their hives properly, causing their bees to go rogue? A swarm happens when a hive becomes overcrowded, a new queen appears and the old queen and a gang of around 20,000 go on the run. They head for temporary lodgings while scout bees look for somewhere safe to settle. Swarms in urban areas may rest on cars, lampposts, bicycle baskets or even Topshop’s windows. “It’s how bees reproduce,” says Paul Webb from London-based beehive rental firm Barnes & Webb. “It happens at this time of year because it’s warm. They leave the safety of the hive to find somewhere new to live.” But it can be managed. Beekeeping demands vigilance and Webb recommends regular inspections of hives. Bee swarms may look terrifying and trigger memories of a certain scene from the film My Girl, but if you are confronted with a buzzing horde don’t panic: bees stuff themselves with honey before they head off, which makes them particularly docile. These are not “attacks”. “You can be very close to a swarm and they won’t sting you. Honeybees aren’t aggressive anyway,” says Webb. If you spot a swarm, contact your local beekeeper’s association. In the unlikely event that you are stung, Webb recommends antihistamine cream. As bee numbers continue to decline, “people should be pleased to see swarms of bees,” says Professor Dave Goulson of the University of Sussex. “They are obviously important and if they are swarming, they’re creating new colonies and everyone should be happy.” Apart from the poor soul who has just lost half the brood. “A swarm is a disaster for the beekeeper,” says Goulson. “Somebody else can snaffle them and they’re free to be grabbed by anyone.” |