Anyone know anything about bees?

[Lonelymum]

I have googled bees but can't come up with an answer. Today, I was putting the washing out when I suddenly heard a swarm of bees. We have oly just moved to our house and the garden has many tall trees in it. A swarm of bees were...well, swarming around the top of a tree. I was a bit worried they were all going to dive down on ds3 and me for a bit but they just seemed to be flying around - but definitely an entire swarm of bees, not just a few. After about 10 minutes, the began to settle again and now I can only see the odd one or two flying around at the top of the tree.

Questions:

Are they nesting up the tree?

What were they doing? I thought they only swarmed when a queen bee flew off to make a new nest. But these seemed to swarm and then return.

Are we in danger from them? I don't mean serious danger, but is it OK to have a nest of bees in your garden?

Any other information you can give me?

1. Probably (although see 2)

2. Are you sure they hadn't just arrived ther? I guess the queen is looking for a suitable new home and this isn't always immediately found?

3. Bees are fine

4. If you want to have them removed, you can find a bee keeper who will come and remove them (although maybe not from the top of a tall tree!) I did find "emergancy swarm contacts" when trying to find a local beekeeper once. Whereabouts are you?

Thanks for the reply. I was beginning to think I had found a subject no-one on MN knew anything about! It did occur to me as I typed the post that maybe they had just swarmed there! Anyway, they don't seem very bothersome. I was just scared they were going to make a sudden bee-line (pun intended) for my house in a Hitchcockian way!

I am near Bristol if you know anyone here.

I was worried not that long ago because we found a swarm under a bush. We rang a beekeeper and he said that the Queen Bee was probably just resting there before moving on and that's why the other bees were swarming. They left the next day.

Apparently the bristol beekeeper's website is down but it's here.

This is Avon Beekeepers swarm information.

beekeepers' Can't have the apostrophe police hounding me

TBH, I don't think they'll bother you up in a tall tree. They won't sting unless you threaten them in someway.

Well according to that website, point number 4 would rule out the beekeepers helping me. The tree must be about 20 feet tall. I am just worried because ds2 was climbing it yesterday and got about half way up. I dread to think what might have happened if they were there and he disturbed them.

If he's old enough to climb half way up a 20ft tree, he's old enough to understand why he can't go too high if the bees are there. Very impressed at his climbing ability mind you!

It may be worth calling the beekeepers for advice anyway.

Oh yes he would understand. I am not sure I am impressed at his climbing ability! I think he may have climbed higher than 10 feet and that was just his first go - you know how more adventurous children become as they try things again and again.

Anyway, at least I can now give him a reason not to climb that particular tree!

I think that when/if the bees settle. they'll be fairly safe. When they're swarming, they're more unpredictable. Personally I'm terrified of anything that buzzes. I can, however, swallow my terror of bees because I know they won't hurt me if they can avoid it.

DSs have got their eyes on out extrememely tall beech tree (prob 100ft) but luckily the first branches are at least 8 ft off the ground. They get stuck 5ft up the small plum tree

I did find an old wooden ladder in our old stable block (we have just moved here so still finding things) and thought of getting it out for ds's to play with but then I thought, "What on earth are you thinking of you stupid woman? It is bad enough the number of trees they can climb, without giving them access to the really tall ones!"

I stopped going to TumbleTots when I thought "Why am I teaching my chld to climb ladders?"

Meant to add a at the beginning of that.