Iif you were in the West End of Evanston at Nature’s Perspective Landscaping Thursday you might have seen a rare event. Bees in one of the firm’s hives decided to swarm.
Nature’s Perspective General Manager Paul Klitzkie says the bees decided to make their move around lunch time.
“It sounded like a lawn mower at full throttle, the air was so full of bees it was almost like a black smoke cloud,” Klitzkie said. “We needed to act fast as we haven’t experienced a swarm since we established our hives last year.”
Swarming happens when a hive has two queens and about half the hive is loyal to one queen and not the other. Hives can only support one queen, Klitzkie says, “so she packed her bags and decided moved out with about 5,000 of her loyal worker bees”
As soon as the queen lands, her loyal colony begins to cluster around her into a large swarming mass.
Beehives at Nature’s Perspective.
Kitzkie says local bee expert Jana Kinsman helped capture the swarm. “Jana was amazing, she knew exactly what to do. Armed with a new hive, a few ratchet straps, and a ladder, she was determined to capture the swarm.”
Kitzkie says Kinsman donned her bee keeper’s veil and ascended the ladder with Nick Woboril of the Nature’s Perspective staff holding the new hive just under the swarming cluster.
With the swift and solid shake of the Birch tree the swarm gently fell into its new home.
“We are very happy to have our apiary expand and hope it continues to thrive.” Klitzkie says.