10,000 bees crowd wing of plane at Mass. airport

Source: AP



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/odd_bees_on_a_plane

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There's got to be some relevant story in here somewhere - I'm sure of it.

So I'm thinking that it's a good omen to have bees land on your plane!

I've noticed bees in the garden and outside this year, seems like a while since I've seen so many. So that's good.

Welcome back, bees!

I'd rather risk a sting than die of starvation from no veggies!

Lots of "cells" in those "hives" for the little buggers to hide in!

First boxcutters, next bees

snarf

(too many for the hive) they will work to nurture another queen and when she is hatched approx 1/2 of the bees leave the hive with her and swarm. The swarm of bees will fly in a tight mass and land on a convient place until scout bees can find a proper place to finally settle and make a new home... the tight swarm is one way of protecting the queen whom can often be found easily in the center of the swarm. The gentle vacuum is a great idea that I have never used but if you can find the queen and put her in a hive or box, usually the rest of the bees will follow...
a swarm of bees looks daunting, but it is a time when they are pretty intent on their task and quite gentle. *very simple explanation*

It was an amazing sight!

I was outside working in the yard when I heard them coming up from the south. I wondered what all the buzzing noise I was hearing could be. I live in a slightly remote area and couldn't think what kind of machinery it sounded like that. I walked up to my patio and then I saw some them come through the trees (literally around all the branches, not over the tree tops). They started off as just a few, but before they'd reached the center they were dense enough that they were creating shade and I was watching (from in the house by this point) with my mouth hanging open in amazement. Then they again began to thin out and fade into the northern horizon.

It was a thing of beauty I'll never forget.

I have stood in the center of a swarm and was just blown away- Wow
Also once experienced a drone mating with a queen -mid-air- rare experience. My grandfather was a beekeeper and I carried on, though haven't been able since I've been on the road.
One day again; I can taste the warm honey as I write this...

She stops laying a few days before the swarm and slims down a bit for flight. She starts laying again when the new colony is established and new comb is drawn, sometimes within 24 hours. It's all driven by pheromone chemistry.

There are a number of emerging, virgin queens (3-5 might be considered normal) left behind in the old colony. The virgins fight it to the death, the last one crawling becomes the anointed queen and is sent out to mate.

I have collected dozen and dozens of swarms (fire department had my number) and I never used a vacuum. Gravity, a bucket with lid, and a collection box (10 frame super with six or seven drawn frames installed), and a water spritzer bottle worked well for me. Oh, and a short ladder because I never attempt to collect swarms high in trees. I'll wait until they alight lower or leave the county entirely.

A swarm in May is worth a load of hay.
A swarm in June is worth a silver spoon.
A swarm in July isn't worth a fly.

you are right and so lucky

They were trying to hold the plane down.

They were communicating with us.

Of course that's ridiculous, I guess, but how can you ever bee 100% sure?

We're just not smart enough to learn to speak bee.

back from us humans who have failed to care for the earth.

:toast:

... The Swarm

I was not a bee

They all gathered on one wing and tipped the plane over.

long story from several yrs back on DU in the lounge. Just in case people think I'm more nuts than I am

:scared:

Or what creeps you out?

"Portrait of a frightened man: Mr. Robert Wilson, thirty-seven, husband, father, and salesman on sick leave. Mr. Wilson has just been discharged from a sanitarium where he spent the last six months recovering from a nervous breakdown, the onset of which took place on an evening not dissimilar to this one, on an airliner very much like the one in which Mr. Wilson is about to be flown home - the difference being that, on that evening half a year ago, Mr. Wilson's flight was terminated by the onslaught of his mental breakdown. Tonight, he's traveling all the way to his appointed destination, which, contrary to Mr. Wilson's plan, happens to be in the darkest corner of the Twilight Zone."


"and stop callling me Shirly."

:scared: