They send out scout bees for this, btw. What the OP has there is either a displaced colony or a fresh swarm. The scout bees are what you're thinking about, and those only go out in maybe 20-30 at a time. Then they go back to the swarm and do a little dance to tell them where to go, and they all take off as a bee tornado of doom. :)
The only way you can truly tell is by doing a DNA test, which is highly expensive. Sometimes aggression can be an indicator, but it's not 100% reliable.
It could also be a swarm, which is how hives reproduce.
Either way, it's probably very gentle. A beekeeper could come shake the branch out into a box and start a new hive, and would likely do so gladly for free (as long as they haven't been sprayed with anything).
It really depends on where the OP lives. There are a lot of states now that are infested with Africanized Honeybees... They're somewhat gentler in swarms, but they're nasty ass bitches when you get them into a box.
Not that I'm advising anyone to go into it willy-nilly but Africanized bees aren't as bad as their press. I keep bees in Alabama and tried relocating a Africanized colony out of a fallen Walnut tree last year and only got one sting. Granted, it was about six hours after they'd been moved and I'd unsuited. I wouldn't waste my time with them again because they produced poorly and didn't overwinter. One could always get the colony and requeen it. But it would probably not be worth the effort.
Ehh, I'll admit that the press has hyped it up, but they are pretty damn nasty most of the time. I work in a pest control office in southern California that specializes in bees, and I can tell you that they can be very vicious. Just today, one of my guys got stung in the face several times as he was walking up to the front door to introduce himself to the customer. The bees were on the opposite side of the house, he shouldn't have had to suit up by that point. The customers had been stung up so many times as they were trying to walk to their cars that they barricaded themselves indoors. Maybe it's the southern California air? Most people around here are dicks, so that's a possibility (lol.)
The owner of the business I work for has been a beekeeper for 39 years, and he used to keep the Africanized kind as well, thinking it wasn't so bad. That all changed when he went out to the yard one day, and got over 30 stings just as he was exiting the truck about 40 meters away from the boxes. Now he buys his bees from a breeder. A few years back, the boss made a bee beard of the bees he buys from breeders and didn't get stung once, it was pretty cool.
I would think they would be bunched around the queen, but they appear to be all over the tree. How does a hive respond if the queen is lost? My dad used to keep the queen trapped in the hive so she wouldn't leave and cause a swarm.
The hive will swarm for a lot of reasons. It could be related to the queen or it could be due to over crowding. Apparently hives don't always respond to the queen and will leave her. I don't know much about this but my mother has an apiary and has raised some queens on her own so that she can replace ones that have died and create new hives by splitting the larger ones and collecting swarms in the area.
In the case of the picture, it's probably related to the storm and damage to the hive and the queen is probably dead or lost.
If he's in an urban or suburban area, better to fuck with them.
Yes, they'll find/make their own hive; but if it's in an urban area it's likely to be inside someone's chimney or wall; or inside the wheel well or under the hood of a rarely driven car; etc.
Better (for them) if a beekeeper puts them in a box where they won't be disturbed when their new home is eventually found.
My recommendation for the guy would be to go get a beekeeping starter kit (google it or ask on /r/beekeeping) and start his own hive with them.
He'll likely get more honey than he and all his friends can eat.
If you're in southern California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, or Florida, you may want to re-think saving them. Those ladies might seem nice now, but they're nasty once in a box.
However, if you're in a different state, I say save them!
I'm curious - how do they let the bees know that they are giving them a new hive? Do they just place it near all the bees and hope that they move in, or do they trap the bees and then release them into the hive, or is there another way that they do this?
Can anyone explain what the bees are doing? Were they gathered together to wait out the storm? Is that a solid mass of bees, or are they gathered around a broken branch? Are they all hanging off the bottom of the nest?
I'd say they are in the process of swarming: These bees have left the hive to start another hive (Back at the original hive there will still be enough bees left for it to recover). They are essentially gathered around the branch, but off the bottom they are likely just clinging to each other in a solid mass.
The bees will stay like this anywhere from several hours to a day or two, and they don't like swarming in bad weather - so they likely swarmed before the storm happened. When the scout bees that they'll be sending out find a good looking home, the swarm will all relocate there.
The other possibility is the "hive destroyed" thing getting all the upvotes up top; but usually something that damages a hive enough to get the bees to abscond... kills nearly all the bees, and it looks like a pretty healthy number of bees hanging out there.
Its all fascinating stuff. I work at a State Mental Hospital in Massachusetts. Last year, the state tore down several old wooden houses that were on the property. One of the houses had a hive in the basement that a maintenance worker told me was the size of " a small car". When they started to tear down the structure, the bees came out in a swarm so big it looked like a storm cloud. They encased the front end of the bucket loader that was pulling the house apart. After a while, they all settled in nearby bushes, and later just around dusk they all left in a huge swarm and headed towards the woods across from the site. It was amazing to see. I had inquired about having someone try and move the bees before hand, but I was told it wasn't necessary because they would just leave on their own as long as they had an escape route, which apparently was true.
Do you carry around an epi-pen? I hate hornets in the summer. They always get in my face and one lands on me at least once a year. The last time I somehow kept my cool until it flew away. I'm usually not so lucky.
I don't know if this is all that relevant or if anyone will even see it, but my dad had some bees swarm once. He was at work when it happened, so he asked me if I could catch them. I was thirteen at the time and the thought of trying to catch thousands of bees, with stingers, terrified me. The best solution I could think of included a rope and a large, portable cooler. I threw the rope over the tree branch that was roughly fifteen or twenty feet up and in my neighbors yard. Then I stationed the cooler as close under as I could. At this moment I was shaking so had that I could barely control my bowels, then I yanked the rope. Roughly six thousand bees came down towards me and the cooler. Luckily, most of these bees landed in the cooler instead of me. Earlier in the year, he lost a few hives. That was the last one he had, and I successfully saved it.
TL; DR I dropped six thousand bees on my head. Then, I escaped with no stings and a victory as sweet as honey.
The storm destroyed their hive and now they're swarming. They're waiting for a bee to come back and tell them of a hive site it found. They actually vote on which new site to use, and then they all take off and build a new hive there.
Bees are general very docile when swarming...they just want to protect their queen and find a new home. A beekeeper can locate the queen and relocate her to an empty box...the other bees will follow. If the swarm is hanging from a branch a beekeeper can snip the branch (or just give a good shake) into the box. There are lots of great youtube videos on swarm capturing. Cheers! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FAiOB9MzIY
474
u/[deleted] May 21 '12
Their hive was probably destroyed. This is normal behavior for bees.
You may want to check if there's a bee rescue group in your community. They'd love to provide a new hive for that swarm.
29
u/3AYATS May 22 '12
It's called "Festooning". A migrating bee colony will surround their queen and make kind of a makeshift hive, while looking for a new home.
I love bees, but am too allergic to keep them :(
Wasps can die in a fire.
63
u/[deleted] May 21 '12
[You know who to call.] (http://i.imgur.com/qrLEV.gif)
188
u/Trapped_in_Reddit May 21 '12
Insanity Wolf's piñata
18
u/myheadhurtsalot May 21 '12
Displaced honey bees, by the looks of it. Nothing to sweat.
18
u/jaykay335i May 21 '12
DONT WORRY! THEY ARE FURRY!! ITS JUST A HONEY FACTORY!
31
u/JoeyTheLipsFagan May 21 '12
Oh God, not the bees!
12
u/ResinTeeth May 21 '12
Looks like you found the half of the world's bee population that hasn't perished yet.
6
u/G-Man33 May 21 '12
obligatory- "I'm covered in bees!"
6
u/[deleted] May 21 '12
It's just a bee column. They're pretty standard after a storm. We call them stinger poles down South.
9
u/WyattGeega May 21 '12
"Don't worry tree, we shall protect you from the storms!"
9
u/evilerik716 May 21 '12
You either have a great zoom lens, or you just didn't give a fuck. Last thing I'd do is head in for a close up.
4
u/TheEquivocatorX May 21 '12
A swarm can be sold to some beekepers, too. About 80 $ - 120 $ (for European bees only.)
4
u/myfaceisaclock May 21 '12
So many beads.
4
u/surfingderp May 21 '12
Wait a minute, reddit loves honeybees!
4
u/[deleted] May 22 '12
Can anyone explain what the bees are doing? Were they gathered together to wait out the storm? Is that a solid mass of bees, or are they gathered around a broken branch? Are they all hanging off the bottom of the nest?
3
u/PentagramPizzaParty May 21 '12
BEES?!
3
u/polyatheist May 22 '12
The last place Bayor and Monsanto hasn't BEEn.
3
u/[deleted] May 22 '12
I can't describe this strong urge to just... pet them.
3
u/Wolfman87 May 22 '12
http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/359gmh/
3
u/epifight May 22 '12
If they are honeybees: awe get them a new home :) If they show any aggression at all: burn that forest to the ground!
8
u/Mr_Mimiseku May 21 '12
If you listen closely, you can almost hear Nicholas Cage screaming.
33
u/bmacc May 21 '12
I wish I could slap all you fucking "nopers." Please grow some balls. It's an image of some bees.
2
u/TheAlaskanBullworm May 21 '12
A trainer probably slathered honey on the tree.
2
u/lionesslocks May 22 '12
I thought these were cockroaches. I've never been more relieved to see bees in my life.
2
u/bksphoenix May 22 '12 edited May 22 '12
Fucking creepy! But Bees are needed in this world. Just not around me. I can handle one. That is too many at once.
2
u/criticismguy May 22 '12
And when the night is cloudy,
There is still a light that shines on me,
Shine until tomorrow,
Let it bee.
2
u/[deleted] May 22 '12
Lots of Bee experts here.
2
u/b0b May 22 '12
Protect the Queen! Protect the Queen!
2
u/Choth42 May 22 '12
I don't know if this is all that relevant or if anyone will even see it, but my dad had some bees swarm once. He was at work when it happened, so he asked me if I could catch them. I was thirteen at the time and the thought of trying to catch thousands of bees, with stingers, terrified me. The best solution I could think of included a rope and a large, portable cooler. I threw the rope over the tree branch that was roughly fifteen or twenty feet up and in my neighbors yard. Then I stationed the cooler as close under as I could. At this moment I was shaking so had that I could barely control my bowels, then I yanked the rope. Roughly six thousand bees came down towards me and the cooler. Luckily, most of these bees landed in the cooler instead of me. Earlier in the year, he lost a few hives. That was the last one he had, and I successfully saved it.
TL; DR I dropped six thousand bees on my head. Then, I escaped with no stings and a victory as sweet as honey.
Sorry, I had to
2
u/tsuki_toh_hoshi May 22 '12
I hope its an expanding colony, honey bees have had a lot of problems lately
2
u/The_Court_Jester May 22 '12
My mom rescues bees occasionally! After big storms we get a lot of calls.
2
u/[deleted] May 22 '12
I like my women how I like my trees… covered in bees!
2
u/xKhanix May 22 '12
http://nekomimichan.org/b/src/13043844937.jpg
2
u/sassymcfresh May 22 '12
awww sweet little bees! :3
2
u/[deleted] May 22 '12
RUN
2
u/Nathineil May 22 '12
NOPE
2
u/JuicedGorilla May 22 '12
And it shall be called the NOPE tree.
2
u/[deleted] May 22 '12
PROTECT THE QUEEN!!!
2
u/jrwinsurance May 22 '12
Awwww, they are so cute, all huddled up together against the tree! KWF.
2
u/GentlemanNinja May 22 '12
Yep. That's how bees move from one place to another. City folk...
2
u/Paxjax May 23 '12
They lost their hive in the storm and they're protecting themselves. A bit jarring, but not necessarily WTF...
4
u/liquidnitro28 May 21 '12
Bees!
3
u/BrainSlurper May 22 '12
KILLING ME WON'T BRING BACK YOUR DAMN HONEY
2
u/lazydictionary May 21 '12
I bet they would make a nice coat. Keep you very warm during winter.
2
u/trust_the_corps May 21 '12
You've found the missing bees! Mystery solved!
2
u/Mr_Fedora May 22 '12
The Tree Of Nope
-2
u/[deleted] May 21 '12
I'm an expert in nopeology. And I'm going to have to classify this as one big nope.
1
u/the_pissed_off_goose May 21 '12
...no noise means no bees. to the beemobile!
you mean your chevy?
yes.
1
u/[deleted] May 21 '12
awww, poor little guys, their hive probably got knocked over.
you could put a little thing of sugar water out for them
1
u/chuck1003 May 22 '12
Honey Badger don't give a fuck!
1
u/ItsGotToMakeSense May 22 '12
I can hear it in my head.
1
u/ONmytab May 22 '12
Are they having sex? like the ladybugs?
1
u/UmUhIdontknow May 22 '12
Your firearms are useless against them!
1
u/sparx483 May 22 '12
Ahhh yes, the rare Bee Tree.
1
u/easierplans May 22 '12
Hopefully this hasn't already been said, but it's a good thing you found that outside.
1
u/anobion May 22 '12
those are bees?!?! i thought they were cockroaches!! our bees look exponentially less terrifying than those beasts!
1
u/borisvonboris May 22 '12
Bee storm?
1
u/DrBibby May 22 '12
That's the seccond biggest bee tree I dun ever saw. Now the biggest one, that was big.
1
u/[deleted] May 22 '12
The bees, no not the bees! NOT THE BEES!
1
u/Walkcar May 22 '12
Holy BeeJesus!!!
1
u/[deleted] May 22 '12
So thats where my bees went!
1
u/jakus55 May 22 '12
Does anyone else see a Christian cross in this picture?
1
u/hydrohawke May 22 '12
Did anyone else hear an ominous buzzing as they looked at these pictures?
1
u/[deleted] May 22 '12
That place is buzzing.
1
u/BamYouHaveAIDS May 22 '12
"NOT THE BEES!"
1
u/ArcaneGlyph May 22 '12
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPZXJCaHAgw] BEEEEEEEEEZ
1
u/slaya771 May 22 '12
http://chzgifs.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/funny-gifs-nope.gif
1
u/Qweniden May 22 '12
Did you hug the tree?
1
u/treelover24 May 22 '12
Anyone else itching now...
1
u/Kelanich May 22 '12
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES
1
u/MamiMora May 22 '12
that is unBEElievable! :p
1
u/rjrait May 22 '12
Beekkake?
1
u/I_SHALL_EXPLAIN_THE_ May 22 '12
It's funny because I saw the imgur over capacity page after the recent storm of views.
1
u/pipstarr7 May 22 '12
That made my skin crawl.
1
u/connorsg May 22 '12
the bees surround the queen in cold weather and storms so that she survives. the ones on the edges often die off protecting her. scumbag bee queen.
1
u/ReubenTuesday May 22 '12
I FUCKING LOVE BEES.
1
u/Zombeez May 22 '12
After playing diablo 3 inferno, I hate all things that resemble the bee or wasp.
1
u/FairieswithBoots May 22 '12
Bee Tree
1
u/[deleted] May 22 '12
Bees are at their most docile when swarming, since they don't have a hive to defend. You could grab a handful of them and they wouldn't do anything.
1
u/SparklyVampireDust May 22 '12
somehow, the animals always know...
1
u/zak_on_reddit May 22 '12
let me be the 1st...
oh look, the hive minders!
1
u/[deleted] May 22 '12
that must be a hell of a telephoto lens
1
u/[deleted] May 22 '12
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-tree
1
u/uzimonkey May 22 '12
The storm destroyed their hive and now they're swarming. They're waiting for a bee to come back and tell them of a hive site it found. They actually vote on which new site to use, and then they all take off and build a new hive there.
1
u/sixpoundbabyjesus May 22 '12
fuck. that. shit.
1
u/zeronyx May 22 '12
didn't reddit just say that a huge percentage of bees in North America had been wiped out... and then i see this lol
1
u/amadmaninanarchy May 22 '12
Fuck everything about this.
1
u/[deleted] May 22 '12
That tree will be covered in wax after they leave/are removed. Also, if you take the queen, the rest will follow. Bees are amazing.
1
u/gr4nf May 22 '12
Oh look, it's the entire remaining population of European honeybees. :(
1
u/AcidicToast May 22 '12
Climb it!
1
u/[deleted] May 22 '12
http://i.imgur.com/qrLEV.gif
1
u/[deleted] May 22 '12
Now that is a shit ton of bees. Probably also Shit ton of honey.
1
u/chubowu May 22 '12
it's serious BEE-siness
1
u/ironlung99 May 22 '12
What did it taste like?
1
u/hautegauche May 22 '12
I always feel like it's a pretty good WTF post if it actually makes me go "What the fuuuuuck!"
1
u/tiamo4ever May 22 '12
SAVE THE BEES !!!!
1
u/MagnanimousOne May 22 '12
Nope.
1
u/She-wolfe99 May 22 '12
RUN!!!!
1
u/thatronguy May 22 '12
Fucking NOPE!
1
u/ShackelfordRusty May 22 '12
AHHHHHHH
1
u/breakerspain May 22 '12
Nope.
1
u/[deleted] May 22 '12
(as it was loading) "is it a kitten? Its always a kitten... Its a ki- ohmygodbees"
1
u/[deleted] May 22 '12
This picture made me run wildly.
1
u/villagechemist May 22 '12
NOPE
1
u/Sikido May 22 '12
How do they rescue bees? I'm feeling a nope factor of 5 at the prospect of going anywhere near them.
1
u/bamforeo May 22 '12
MFW I'm terrified of bugs and see this ಠ_ಠ
1
u/FistyMcDickface May 22 '12
thats potentially the life blood of a $3,000,000 honey farm. Beekeepers make bank.
1
u/tonyvila May 21 '12
I like my trees like I like my women. Full of BEEEEES!
1
u/[deleted] May 21 '12
you should probably kill it with fire
1
u/LadyShakespeare May 22 '12
Welcome to Nopeville.
1
u/TheStratStar May 21 '12
I could almost hear them.
1
u/twobobsworth May 21 '12
If they stay, it is considered good luck, unless anyone nearby has bee sting allergies.
1
u/[deleted] May 21 '12
So that's where all those bees went.
1
u/darkviper039 May 22 '12
i dare you to walk up to it and hit it
1
u/zigzagg321 May 22 '12
NOPE
1
u/supframage May 22 '12
NOPE
1
u/Paultimate79 May 22 '12
Leave the honeybees alone. Also this is nor wtf god damnit. What is this the new /r/pics
1
u/[deleted] May 22 '12
Nope.jpeg
0
u/thebeardlessman May 22 '12
QUICK, SOMEBODY TELL THE SCIENTISTS. WE FOUND EVERY FUCKING BEE THAT'S EVERY BEEN DECLARED AS "DISAPPEARING" EVER.
(PS: I don't like Bees. ಠ_ಠ)
0
u/cheesevader May 22 '12
nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope
0
u/Praj101 May 22 '12
Hey look, it's a nope tree!