Typically bees swarm in mid-April to early June, but this year Tulsa beekeepers have posted early swarm of bees on their social media accounts. Many wondered whether the bees increase in swarm.
Many are curious whether the bees in Tulsa increased its swarm, as many beekeepers posted early swarm in social media. According to one local expert on honeybees, they indeed dispersed early this year and an increased number of beekeepers participating and spreading their cause of raising honeybees generates buzz on social media.
According to Tulsa Urban Bee Company and Hannaford Honey owner Greg Hannaford, even though there are a big number of honeybees suffering from Colony Collapse Disorder, there are still an increasing number of beekeepers especially on urban areas. With these increase of beekeepers, they can take an advantage of learning and sharing knowledge to the public with this early swarm.
"This year they got going in early April, possibly in late March, probably because of the weather," said Hannaford.
Early and increased swarm makes a lot of people scared.
"There is absolutely no reason to be scared of them. They are very docile at this stage," Hannaford said, adding that bees are incredibly fun.
Swarm is a natural way of bees to reproduce, scout for homes and protect hives. Bees sting as a mode of protection on their hives and if they do not have a hive they will look for a place to start a colony that they can protect.
Bee swarms commonly hang on tree branches for at least 20 minutes to maximum or several weeks.
If the swarms are already attached to tree branches, this is when the beekeepers can get them and bring them to their new homes.
Beekeepers contacted by police on swarm reports are lucky since they get "freebees" to raise especially if they are still starting the activity.
In beekeeping, it is important to wear appropriate suit to protect the body from harm of bees, but Hannaford recounted his first experience on honeybees.
"I've picked up hundreds of them wearing just a T-shirt and a veil over my face and shook them off in a cardboard box," Hannaford recalled.
"It's a great time to talk to people about bees and talk about how important they are as pollinators," Hannaford added pertaining to his experience on getting a swarm while people watch him do it with just a T-shirt.
Hannaford also train other beekeeping enthusiast and inculcate them the use of wearing proper clothes while on site.
Beekeepers are everywhere. You can just type it on your search engines and social media accounts, a wide list of beekeeping address and contacts will pop out of your computers.
"Post that you have a swarm in your yard on social media and you likely will get a quick response nowadays," said Hannaford in Tulsaworld.
Photo: Sean Winters | Flickr
