Welcome to Colony 16

Walking Colony 16 into their new home

I received a call at lunchtime today that there was a swarm settled in Portland Rd, Summertown, Oxford. I went immediately.

The swarm was big. It was in the lower branches of an apple tree where it hung over a fence. I borrowed a ladder and just knocked the bulk of the swarm into the box and waited while they got organised. In went the remainder. Boxed.

Collecting could hardly have been quicker or easier. From phone call to me leaving with a box of bees was only just over an hour. Quick work given that I must have taken 30 minutes just to get there.

I was very grateful for the kind assistance of the neighbour Chris and to the home owner who gave us access. They were superb. This sort of help fantastic -- freely and kindly given -- and much appreciated.

I took the bees back to central Oxford where I left them, boxed, to calm down. At about 8:45pm I tipped them onto a sheet in front of the hive. The movement was immediate. In they started to go.

After a while the door became jammed with bees. More bees climbed up over the entrance and onto the front of the hive. It was a bit chaotic. The evening is still warm though so I hope they'll get organised before it cools down too much.