thirsty bees

[denali]

I've seen bees collect around a water source before, but this is the largest I have seen. The faucet leaks water but it never hits the ground

I don't know any thing about bees so if some one would like to comment that would be great. 

[Woodchuck]

  Did you whack em? 

[runamuk]

honey bees swarming looking for a new place to nest  might want to seek a bee keeper to get them thats a nice herd, makes an interesting picture as well 

[denali]

Thanks Run

did I whack em ?    NO       oh to be a 10 year old boy again ... it would have been EPIC ! 

[Woodchuck]

 

[runamuk]

 

here in lies the major difference between boys and girls....boy sees swarm of bees and thinks oh I should whack them and see what happens  girl sees bees and thinks if I whack them I will get stung then I will get in trouble for getting stung....bee swarm best left untouched and unmentioned 

[gaddy]

put some in a jar & roll em down a hill.

[quadrafire]

This might be a swarm Denali. If they stick around you might want to call a local keeper. If they are honey bees would be good to save. I wouldn't want to open that valve why they are there however.

[throttlejocky20]

Thanks Run

did I whack em ?    NO       oh to be a 10 year old boy again ... it would have been EPIC !

EPIC FAIL 

[LadyB]

You could borrow Buckmark's beekeeper suit 

[erk444]

A buddy of mine had that happen to his car in Olympia one time. He asked a bee pearson why it might happen, and he told him that the queen may have landed on his car, and the worker bees followed her and landed there too

[shoot-em-dead]

I've seen them like that once before on a leaking pipe. Was about two feet off the ground and I had an excavator. Buried them and two weeks later went back to dig them up. Still alive but better contained for bee spray.

[denali]

A buddy of mine had that happen to his car in Olympia one time. He asked a bee pearson why it might happen, and he told him that the queen may have landed on his car, and the worker bees followed her and landed there too

some female shows up wafting pheromones and all the boys huddle around?  kinda suspected it was something like that

thanks all for the comments,  throtteljocky20 you would have been with me in the car to the hospital     

[whackemstackem]

Very cool pic.  I have seen this when the queen leaves the hive to start her own hive or the bee box was taken during the day leaving them no home when they come back at night, usually congregating near the warmest thing to where the bee box (or hive) was.  You can usually hear them buzzing on the inside of the swarm to create heat through wing friction.

[B.G.hunter]

That is a swarm of bees and a beekeeper would love to have them, they are looking for a new home after splitting off of another hive.  Swarm hives are usually the best honey producers.  Most of the time swarms are pretty harmless and if you don't mess with them you will have no problem but when they leave the spot they will make quite a bit of noise (provided a beekeeper doesn't get them first).

[sporked horn]

When a bee colony becomes too crowded the workers start raising a new queen, as the new queen hatches out the old queen will leave with about half the workers in the colony.  these bees are generally harmless as they have no brood to protect and have gorged on honey before leaving the hive.  almost none of those bees will be males, the drones (males) are unproductive to the hive other than mating with a queen, this hive will need wax and honey production right away thus mostly workers.  the hive will send out a scout to find a suitable location for a hive and go to that location, but only fly as far as the queen can go between brakes.  You can catch swarms with lemon grass oil soaked into a rag in a box attached to a tree, the scent will attract the scout.  the queen also helps keep the hive mellow by her pheromones, my hives that lose a queen get very aggressive.   

[lokidog]

Cool photo.  Wish I was close, I've wanted to try beekeeping....

[carpsniperg2]

Thanks Run

did I whack em ?    NO       oh to be a 10 year old boy again ... it would have been EPIC !

You need to wait tell I can come video tape that!!! OMG 1 million youtube hit's here we come

[Kowsrule30]

I think I need my Epipen just looking at those!!!!        Nice pic.....  I would've sprayed them and ran!!!!