Bee Swarm Captured on Plum Tree in May
SkimNews Take
The observed "solid ball" formation is a temporary, energy-efficient huddle that protects the queen and scouts while they seek a new, permanent home.
Get the Health newsletter
Daily health & science — research, biotech, public health, the studies worth knowing. Free.
- Honeybee swarm formed a solid ball on a plum tree twig in May, with thousands of workers surrounding the queen.
- Swarm behavior is a natural reproductive split; the bees are non‑aggressive unless provoked and will depart for a new nest within a few days.
- Beekeeper captured the swarm without a protective suit, using a wicker basket and secateurs to cut the twig and drop the bees into the basket.
- Captured bees were transferred into a prepared hive with a white‑cloth ramp, where they were expected to settle and become productive for the season.
- Author sold honey from the May swarm hive and used the proceeds to purchase a trailer full of bales, illustrating the economic upside of early‑summer swarms.
Why it matters: Beekeepers can turn an early‑summer swarm into a profitable honey harvest, as the author’s May swarm honey funded a trailer of bales, while the captured colony gains a ready home to boost season yields.
