Swarming Bees!!

Here I thought I was so cool yesterday, seeing a young Red Tail Hawk getting chased and pestered by a blackbird whilst working on the other side of the tunnel...  Wow, so much more interface with nature out here, I thought.  Then I got the phone call from my neighbor in Oakland- a swarm of honeybees had found themselves in her front yard.  (!!!)  I dashed home to witness the spectacle and sure enough, bigger and swarmier than I could ever have imagined. 
She found a beekeeper online that specialized in swarms and we prepared ourselves for an experience.

First he trimmed the vine to gain better access to the bees.  Apparently, this is the season for bees to swarm.  Basically, a new queen is born and the hive ain't big enough for the both of 'em.  The queen searches for a new home and her loyal subjects follow her and help keep her safe until the new location has been selected.  While Eileen and I thought it looked like the most gigantic colony ever, our new beekeeping friend said it was of average size.  Oh...

Next came a spritz or two of water to dampen the bees' wings to keep them from flying and to help them stick together a bit.  Then, into the box!  The swarm didn't quite get in there all in one shot, so he left the box for a few hours to give them all a chance to make their way inside.

I'm so happy to know that this beekeeper cares for his hives without the use of chemicals, like mite sprays.  Happy bees in their happy new home. How exciting- I was talking in exclamation points all evening! 

Our next natural order of operations included walking across the street into the liquor store to get all the background information on the swarm from Muhammad, the eyes and ears of Idora Park.  Talk about interface with nature!  There's a swarm of bees right next to the bus stop!  Yet another reason why I love Oakland.

A big, huge thanks is in order to Eileen, who graciously shared the experience with me.  Coolest ever!

I'm wondering if the way Steven, the beekeeper, captured the bees was the same way any other beekeeper would.  So much to learn!  Does anyone have swarming experience to share?

Buckeyes vs. Bees

So it all started last Spring when I saw the buckeyes in bloom and I.  Had.  To.  Have.  One.  So I planted one right after Christmas and it's already playing peek-a-boo with it's leaves.  Then my brother gave me an awesome book about Backyard Beekeeping from this great little shop in Sacramento.  Cool!  Then, I remembered that Aesculus californica pollen and nectar is poisonous to European honeybees.  But, I asked, how poisonous?  Does the bee realize it's bad and avoid it or does he naively sip away to his own doom?   Oh, what's a urban farmer/native gardener to do when she wants it all?  Well, here's what I turned up in terms of internet research:

This article by CNPS doesn't discuss the Aesculus/bee relationship extensively, but it does provide a fun, short read about the relationship between insects and native plants.

This page talks about the symptoms of honeybees that can't help themselves and partake of the pollen/nectar.  There aren't disturbing pictures, but I did feel very bad for the bees after reading it.  Sensitive folks take note before clicking on the link.

And finally, Bingo!  A page that concisely answers my question.  Buckeyes greatly benefit the native insect world, but if you have many other blooming plants for the European bees, they'll choose healthier options.

Of course, since this is the internets, I take this advice with a grain of salt.  It is a start, however.  It would be great to hear Gordon Frankie's opinion.  He runs the Urban Bee Research project and I keep meaning to take one of his classes.  Can anyone else weigh in on this subject?