Swarm!

I found about 30 bees on the inside of a bedroom window a couple weeks ago! I killed them, taped up the window and started making some calls.
It turns out they were honey bees. I have always wanted to try beekeeping. First, they would be a perfect addition to the orchard I have always wanted. (Dreaming, again . . .) I would also be happy to produce and sell honey, since the honey trade is said to support Al Qaeda; I’d be happy to short them a couple pints a year. Alas, I am not prepared for another project at this time. Between work, taking classes, teaching classes, trips and keeping up on the houses and lawns, I don’t have time for bees.
So, I called a beekeeper. He came out, watched the entrance for a few minutes and determined it to be a “small” swarm, about 6,000 – 10,000 bees. Let me tell you, when they’re in your house, that number doesn’t sound small! To put it in perspective, though 15,000 – 18,000 bees only weigh around 3 pounds!
After determining what he needed, he came back with a bee vacuum, sucked up the bees, removed the combs, scraped out the wax and sealed up the hole. Surprisingly, it didn’t cost me a penny! It seems there’s a shortage of honey bees and keepers are happy to come and get them. It beats having them exterminated!