Bin har funnits i området kring Ballalough House i många år. Efter en stor svärm i mitten av 1990-talet, och en efterföljande förfrågan från biodlaren som hjälpte till att hålla in bina vid den tiden, har det funnits bikupor på området sedan dess.

På vintern minskar antalet bin i bikuporna och lämnar tillräckligt mycket för att hålla drottningen varm och skyddad. När pollen utvecklas och temperaturen ökar ökar antalet arbetsbin, och på sommaren kan varje bikupa ha över 50 000 bin.

From late May through into July is often the time when bees swarm. A new queen having been born, and the old one leaves the hive to find a new place. She takes some of the hive residents with her. She looks for a dark place to re-establish her colony. Enough food is stored for a few days, so it is imperative that the scouts find something quickly. As the food runs out the swarm become more agitated and more likely to respond to people being near.

The first swarm from a hive is called the Primary, and it is possible that half the population go with the old queen, leaving the new queen chance to establish and develop the old hive further, however, if another new queen develops, then the process repeats, with the incumbent relinquishing their place for the new addition. This means the hive can be depleted further, the number of residents to go with the old (new) queen is less than the primary, and so if often referred to as a secondary swarm. This process can repeat, and it is part of the function of the Bee Keeper to try and see whether there is a need to remove multiple queens from developing.

Sadly the number of bees is on the decrease, and we keep in regular contact with the Bee Keeper to ensure that they have the best chance of surviving, so if you see something wrong, or want to know more, then please speak with us, and we can determine whether the Bee Keeper needs to come out.