Beekeeping Society save the bees

Following reports of a wild swarm of bees gathering near Neal House, our Beekeeping Society swung into action to rescue and move them.  Arriving at the scene, the bees had moved to a bush outside the Science Department with the swarm circling in their hunt for a new home. Bee colonies have a natural swarm instinct; this is their way of procreating as a species as the colony breeds a new queen (usually once a year) and the old queen, together with half the bees (usually all the older ones), take off in search of a new hive location.

Ardingly College’s Beekeeping Society carried the bees to an empty hive, or apiary, within the College grounds where they encouraged the swarm onto a white sheet, with a ramp going to the hive entrance. Realising that the “perfect home” for them was just a few inches away, the swarm marched up the ramp into our apiary.  Everyone was thrilled: the bees have the new home they were looking for, and the College has a new colony which might produce honey.