Bee swarm
August 13, 2012
I came home from a weekend with family to find a honeybee swarm in our owl box. Bee activity around the stock-tank pond is higher than ever too, thanks to the newcomers.
While it’s sort of fascinating to see them balled up in the doorway, and while I’ve read that bees are docile while swarming, I worry that they’ll move into the box permanently. I’ll be calling a bee relocation (not bee-killing) service today.
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This happened to us too! We had to hire someone to relocate them. Had one owl after that while it was still sticky. Have taken it down to de-stick it and haven’t had an owl in over a year! BooHoo! Good Luck!
As a beekeeper myself, I admire you for calling someone. I have come to love them and am always thankful for what they do for me and our environment. Thanks again!!!
I hope you get them out before they actually set up housekeeping in there. They like your garden. This is quite the nod.
Your garden must be a great place to be a bee! From what I hear, bee keepers are usually looking for swarms, so I’m sure they’ll be pleased to help.
How cool! Although, I know you want your owls back. You may want to try these guys, I went to a meeting once here in San Antonio and there are a ton of beekeepers in the hillcountry – incredible! http://www.texasbeekeepers.org/clubs/alamo-area
We once had a swarm of bees in our garden when I lived in England. They had swarmed onto one of our fruit trees and came from a neighbor who had bees. He came over and tapped the whole lot into a box and took them home to a new hive. Maybe someone in your neighborhood has lost some bees. We had ants in our owl house early this spring!
my friend had the same thing happen in her owl box. The bee people took her owl box down with the bees in it and moved them to another location and brought her owl box back.
Hope there is a good beekeeper in your area that can come and take this swarm for you. I have been reading Randy Emmitt’s blog about being called out to get a swarm. Really interesting.
Jack’s worst nightmare! Good luck with the “move.”
Very cool! I like it when bee’s come to the garden, but I wouldn’t want them residing there…
Considering recent bee news here in Austin, I’d jump right on that. I hope the move goes quickly and well. I love bees and what they do for us, but seeing them all bunched up like that gives me some serious heebiejeebies!