Swarming season!

One of our young people spotted signs of swarming yesterday just ahead of a planned hive visit. By the time we got there the bees had gone - not far though - they had rested on a nearby pile of dead branches. Normally they swarm into bushes or trees like the photo (credit free shutterstock picture) so it is easier to knock them off into a container or sheet. But we had to knock them off branch by branch into a plastic box. Once the queen was in then all others clustered on the side of the box and we were able to brush them gently in. Then the new hive for them was brought in. The old hive gets moved a short distance away and the new hive goes back in the original place to encourage them to back to their familiar place. They get slabs of fondant icing as stores before they start to make it their new home. We have just done our first artificial swarm! The plan was to split the hive but the bees did what bees do, and got ahead of us! Thanks to the quick action of our young person we have managed to save the colony! Hoping they realise this is their new home and don't try and leave again!