article and photos by Sherri Dixon

We had some excitement on Monday, May 30^th,with the introduction of a new colony of honey bees or a “swarming.”

A new queen and several hundred worker bees swarmed into a tree in Irving Park. With thanks from both Otto and Nick from the City Parks Department, Chris Adams, our Resident Beekeeper, was able to collect the colony and place them in a new hive in our apiary.

Although the process sounds intimidating, swarming is the natural means of reproduction of honey bee colonies; which is our ultimate goal – increasing the honey population!

Nick closing the sidewalk to keep the public safe.	Otto at the controls.

Three cones in the tree.	Chris placing the swarm into the box.

From the box into the hive.	New home!