Backyard Bees Cornwall

The Swarm Was In...But Where Was The Queen? 😳

This swarm looked like the perfect catch. It was in an ideal position - not too high, easy to reach, and on a nice accessible branch.

The bees were soon in the box, they were fanning at the entrance, and everything seemed to be going exactly to plan.

Then I spotted the queen... on the outside of the box!

She was particularly flighty, taking off and returning several times while the workers continued fanning. Not wanting to risk losing her altogether, I gently caught her in a queen clip and placed her safely inside.

So, although it looked like the perfect swarm, it turns out the queen had other ideas! 🐝😂

🐝 Swarm Rescue: The Next Chapter 🏡

A few days ago this swarm was hanging from a branch. Today they're settling into their new home. 🐝

Watch as I transfer them from their nuc, spot the queen, and help the last few bees find their way inside. One of my favourite parts is watching them march up the ramp, pollen baskets and all, as they begin the next chapter of their story.

Some mornings feed the soul. 🐝✨

⚠️ Cornwall… you may be about to see a lot more honeybee swarms. 🐝

After what feels like weeks of wet weather, the sudden spell of warm sunshine forecast could mean we start seeing many more honeybee swarms over the coming days.

A swarm may look dramatic — thousands of bees flying in a cloud or clustered in what can seem like the strangest of places — but please don’t be afraid.

This is one of nature’s most extraordinary natural processes: a honeybee colony’s way of creating a new home.

Before leaving their hive, swarming bees usually fill up on honey, which means they are often far calmer and less defensive than people imagine. They are not out to attack — they are simply protecting their queen while scout bees search for a suitable permanent home.

💛 Please admire them from a safe distance.
💛 Please keep children and dogs away.
💛 Please do not spray, disturb, or attempt to remove them yourself.
💛 Most importantly… please don’t harm them.

These fascinating little creatures are simply trying to survive.

If you spot what you think may be a honeybee swarm, feel free to message Backyard Bees Cornwall, or you can also find your nearest volunteer swarm collector via the BBKA swarm finder.

Happy World Bee Day 🐝💛

Tiny wings. Enormous impact.

Every jar of honey, every fruit and flower we enjoy owes something to these extraordinary little creatures.

Beekeeping has taught me patience, wonder, resilience… and occasionally humility when they decide to swarm just as I had other plans 😄

Today is a celebration not just of honeybees, but of all pollinators quietly working behind the scenes to keep our world blooming. 🌸

If you’d like to mark World Bee Day, one of the simplest things you can do is let a patch of your garden grow a little wild, plant for pollinators, or simply pause to appreciate the tiny lives buzzing around us.

I walked straight into a swarm! 🤣

Not everyone’s idea of a relaxing afternoon… 😄🐝

But there’s something incredibly special about being trusted amongst a swarm. What looks chaotic is actually one of nature’s most amazing processes — a honeybee colony creating a new beginning.

This beautiful swarm is now safely collected and heading to a new home with Backyard Bees Cornwall 💛

I often arrive at Mum’s and find her sitting outside on the bench, just quietly watching the bees 🐝💛

She absolutely loves them.

She can sit there for hours, watching them come and go, and for her it’s peaceful, calming… almost a kind of therapy.

There’s something special about slowing down and just watching nature get on with its work.

There was a small nuc of bees there on an old stand, so I treated her to a beautiful National hive and moved the colony across.

Now she has the best front row seat to all the magic.

You can see the bees here doing their orientation flight — flying in little circles as they learn the position of their new home, using landmarks, light, and the sun so they can always find their way back.

A beautiful hive, happy bees… and one very happy Mum ✨🌿