Bee Longing For New Home
Swarming At Main And State
A swarm of bees takes up temporary residence on a window on the third floor of Old Bag of Nails in Uptown Westerville. Their location on the leeward side of the building is protected from strong afternoon winds.
The appearance of swarming bees in spring is becoming an annual affair. Last year’s swarm on May 12 is below on a limb of the ginkgo tree at city hall.
Swarming is a natural process of colony reproduction that occurs when a bee colony becomes overcrowded or needs to replace an aging or failing queen. To ensure the survival of the species, the bees take action by preparing to divide the colony into two separate hives.
Swarming begins with worker bees creating special queen cells and feeding the larvae inside with royal jelly to develop new queen bees. As this occurs, scout bees search for appropriate new sites to establish a fresh hive.
Before the new queens emerge, the old queen leaves the hive with about half of the worker bees, forming a swarm.
This swarm temporarily gathers on a nearby structure, such as a tree limb or an object like the Old Bag of Nails, while the scouts look for a new home. Once the perfect spot is found, the swarm moves to the new site and begins building a new hive. Meanwhile, the bees left in the original hive wait for a new queen to emerge and carry on with the colony.
Swarming is the natural method of colony reproduction that takes place when a bee colony is too crowded or requires a new queen. This process is crucial for the species' survival, prompting the bees to split the colony into two distinct hives.
More photos and a video of the hive are below for paid subscribers.
A fire hydrant and connecting pipe are lowered into place around existing underground utilities and pipes on East Main Street as part of the fire suppression system for Uptown.
An Amish Originals worker surveys the completed “Peace” mural on the side of the furniture store’s building in Uptown Westerville. My Final Photo for April 29, 2024.
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