Snow letter: Save the bees

It is the beginning of swarm season for honey bees. If you have been lucky enough to witness this phenomenon you will never forget it. If you get lucky enough to see one, please call a beekeeper to collect the swarm as soon as you see it, as they are only resting and will move on. The swarm is about half of a hive who have left with their queen in search of a new home. What you see is thousands of bees clinging to each other and protecting their queen. Unprotected by their hive, honey bees can only live about three days as they are at the mercy of the elements and not foraging for food. They are not aggressive during this time unless they feel threatened. So watch from a distance and call a beekeeper. With luck, you will get to watch a beekeeper collect the swarm. A swarm is highly valuable to a beekeeper so they will come right away. Keep these numbers handy in case you get lucky — www.boisebees.com 208-918-1187, SW Idaho Natural Beekeepers, 208-891-0867 or (208) 841-8940.

This story was originally published April 14, 2017 at 3:26 PM with the headline "Snow letter: Save the bees."