IMG_8615Hi Jean – please now this, about my cherry tree bees, as exactly one week later, at 3PM today, in sunny weather with low winds, they swarmed away from the extended branch and back into their new home behind the Pinot/Chardonnay block behind my home into the Pines and Firs, the forest, from which they came last week.

I am very happy to have seen them come to the extended, old branch of the cherry tree and then to swarm away, again, both times in front of me. I am glad I took care of them with worries and sugar waters but now it’s just the few worker bees coming back to the cavity of the old branch and reading the direction of the next placement of their new hive. My brother, Joe, was right…they were seeking a place to rest and restore and my old cherry tree cavity with my offerings of an old wine barrel and hive and freshly simmered sugar water atop both took care of them during their rest. It was reassuring for me to be in the midst of their swarm and watch them fly to the nearby forest. I know they have found a good home in those trees. I will continue to put fresh water in my birdbaths – with winecorks as floatation- so they can trust me to continue to take care of their hydration. This has been a very educational week of native, neighborly, bees. And who knows…the old wine barrel and hive will still stay placed against the old cherry tree. They might miss me!

Hugs, Martha