We've all heard of 'swarms of bees'. If you're like me, Springtime for Pluto, immediately comes to mind and images of bees forming a bomber headed straight for you are quick to follow.
swarm of bees headed straight for poor Pluto!
But what are bees really like when they swarm? We have to first ask, "why do bees swarm?".
Bees get over crowded in their hives. If the queen is doing a good job she's laying so many eggs that new bees are born constantly and eventually the hive has too many 'cooks in the kitchen'. So, naturally, part of the colony decides to leave and create a new hive. The new colony hatches a new queen to stay with the original girls and the old queen leaves with the new colony for greener pastures {so to speak}. When they leave they don't always know where they're headed. They simply know they need to stick together while the scouts search for a new place to live {usually a hollow tree or your grandma's attic...something suitable}. When a colony of bees flies off homeless in search of a new home they're called a swarm of bees. Now, here's where pluto has it a little wrong...swarms of bees are not aggressive. They don't have a hive to protect and therefore are not protective or looking for a fight. They're just looking for a new place to land...not trying to sting anyone along the way. And that's how honey bees naturally procreate and expand colonies. To prove how docile they are, here's a fun video from Robert. It may also help answer the FAQ, "do you always where your bee suit?" ...let's find out!
Bees get over crowded in their hives. If the queen is doing a good job she's laying so many eggs that new bees are born constantly and eventually the hive has too many 'cooks in the kitchen'. So, naturally, part of the colony decides to leave and create a new hive. The new colony hatches a new queen to stay with the original girls and the old queen leaves with the new colony for greener pastures {so to speak}. When they leave they don't always know where they're headed. They simply know they need to stick together while the scouts search for a new place to live {usually a hollow tree or your grandma's attic...something suitable}. When a colony of bees flies off homeless in search of a new home they're called a swarm of bees. Now, here's where pluto has it a little wrong...swarms of bees are not aggressive. They don't have a hive to protect and therefore are not protective or looking for a fight. They're just looking for a new place to land...not trying to sting anyone along the way. And that's how honey bees naturally procreate and expand colonies. To prove how docile they are, here's a fun video from Robert. It may also help answer the FAQ, "do you always where your bee suit?" ...let's find out!
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