They needed a bee keeper not a police helicopter and fire trucks. Honey bees are usually very docile when they swarm. Before they settle there is a whirl wind of bees in the air. If the people had been able to remain calm they could have sat right in the boat until things settled down.
I wonder if we will see this as a towing claim in the Boat US magazine next month?
Some bee keeper is going to be happy to come get that swarm for them, Steve.
Bees swarm boat
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Steve Laume
- Posts: 4127
- Joined: Feb 13th, '05, 20:40
- Location: Raven1984 Cape Dory 30C Hull #309Noank, CT
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Joe Myerson
- Posts: 2216
- Joined: Feb 6th, '05, 11:22
- Location: s/v Creme Brulee, CD 25D, Hull #80, Squeteague Harbor, MA
Steve is right
Living close to apple orchards here in central Massachusetts, we've had several swarms alight in our yard over the past 25 years. Our biggest problem was locating a beekeeper.
Once we found one, they were always more than happy to come and take the swarm.
--Joe
Once we found one, they were always more than happy to come and take the swarm.
--Joe
Former Commodore, CDSOA
Former Captain, Northeast Fleet
S/V Crème Brûlée, CD 25D, Hull # 80
"What a greate matter it is to saile a shyppe or goe to sea."
--Capt. John Smith, 1627
Former Captain, Northeast Fleet
S/V Crème Brûlée, CD 25D, Hull # 80
"What a greate matter it is to saile a shyppe or goe to sea."
--Capt. John Smith, 1627
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sfreihofer
- Posts: 223
- Joined: Dec 6th, '07, 22:05
- Location: 1981 Cape Dory 25 #794, S/V PEARL
- Contact:
A bee swarm occurs when scout bees find and report a suitable nesting site to the colony. Once the queen bee moves to the site, the workers swarm around her to begin forming the hive.
Standing by calmly while this occurs is not particularly wise, because often when bees move the hive, it is because they are already stressed and therefore aggressive. I, for one, am allergic to bees, and any sting is a threat for me.
Beyond that, Florida is already known to have been infiltrated by killer bees of varying purity. Melbourne, Florida, is no doubt within the area of invasive threat. Killer bees are MUCH MORE aggressive than the native European variety. They attack more aggressively, sustain the attack further from the hive, and longer in duration. They are relentless, and stings can measure in the thousands. They can, and have, killed cattle, horses, dogs, and people.
Jumping overboard was probably wise, because a virulent strain of Africanized (killer) bees, when antagonized, will attack even then, when you are forced to surface for air, but contact is limited.
If something like this happens to you on your boat, beware. It is not to be taken lightly.
And YES, a bee keeper is much better qualified than a police force to deal with the threat....
Stan Freihofer
USDA Retired
1981 CD25 #794
Ft. Lauderdale, Fl
www.ReefRoof.com
Standing by calmly while this occurs is not particularly wise, because often when bees move the hive, it is because they are already stressed and therefore aggressive. I, for one, am allergic to bees, and any sting is a threat for me.
Beyond that, Florida is already known to have been infiltrated by killer bees of varying purity. Melbourne, Florida, is no doubt within the area of invasive threat. Killer bees are MUCH MORE aggressive than the native European variety. They attack more aggressively, sustain the attack further from the hive, and longer in duration. They are relentless, and stings can measure in the thousands. They can, and have, killed cattle, horses, dogs, and people.
Jumping overboard was probably wise, because a virulent strain of Africanized (killer) bees, when antagonized, will attack even then, when you are forced to surface for air, but contact is limited.
If something like this happens to you on your boat, beware. It is not to be taken lightly.
And YES, a bee keeper is much better qualified than a police force to deal with the threat....
Stan Freihofer
USDA Retired
1981 CD25 #794
Ft. Lauderdale, Fl
www.ReefRoof.com
Steve Laume wrote:They needed a bee keeper not a police helicopter and fire trucks. Honey bees are usually very docile when they swarm. Before they settle there is a whirl wind of bees in the air. If the people had been able to remain calm they could have sat right in the boat until things settled down.
I wonder if we will see this as a towing claim in the Boat US magazine next month?
Some bee keeper is going to be happy to come get that swarm for them, Steve.
Instant Bubble-head. Just add water.
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Steve Laume
- Posts: 4127
- Joined: Feb 13th, '05, 20:40
- Location: Raven1984 Cape Dory 30C Hull #309Noank, CT
- Contact:
Stan you are only partially right on the swarm dynamics. A swarm occurs when a hive is over crowded. New queen cells are developed and the old queen leaves the hive along with a great number of bees. It is rare that they will go directly to a new hive site. After flying a short distance away from the hive the queen will settle on something. It is usually a tree or bush. In this case a boat. All the other bees then gather around her in the ball you saw in the picture. At that point scouts go out to find a suitable hive site. Once found the swam then takes to the air again and moves right in.
The reason the bees are gentle at this time, aside from the fact that honey bees usually are, is that they have nothing to defend. There is no hive. Sitting quietly is usually the best action around honey bees and stinging insects in general unless you have already harassed them. I could tell lots of stories from my youth. Flailing your arms around and making a fuss is a pretty good way to get stung.
Africanized bees are certainly a different story but one that has been way over told. Jumping in and taking all your stings to the head would not be a great idea. A better action might have been to get inside and close up the boat. You could continue to talk to someone on the radio and would limit the number of bees that had access to you. If you did pass out from an allergic reaction you would not drown or be hard to locate.
All of this is mute because the chances of having a swarm settle on your boat are a whole lot lower than most other incidents we might encounter.
Sea lions on your boat in California, now that is a real threat! Sharks and Barracuda? Best we not forget Alfred Hitchcock and the birds. I think the bee advice would apply to a massing of the birds too.
Seriously Stan, if I was allergic to them, I would be a whole lot more concerned with encountering bees in general.
A swam on your boat is one thing I think we could all scratch off the worry list, Steve.
The reason the bees are gentle at this time, aside from the fact that honey bees usually are, is that they have nothing to defend. There is no hive. Sitting quietly is usually the best action around honey bees and stinging insects in general unless you have already harassed them. I could tell lots of stories from my youth. Flailing your arms around and making a fuss is a pretty good way to get stung.
Africanized bees are certainly a different story but one that has been way over told. Jumping in and taking all your stings to the head would not be a great idea. A better action might have been to get inside and close up the boat. You could continue to talk to someone on the radio and would limit the number of bees that had access to you. If you did pass out from an allergic reaction you would not drown or be hard to locate.
All of this is mute because the chances of having a swarm settle on your boat are a whole lot lower than most other incidents we might encounter.
Sea lions on your boat in California, now that is a real threat! Sharks and Barracuda? Best we not forget Alfred Hitchcock and the birds. I think the bee advice would apply to a massing of the birds too.
Seriously Stan, if I was allergic to them, I would be a whole lot more concerned with encountering bees in general.
A swam on your boat is one thing I think we could all scratch off the worry list, Steve.
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S/V Necessity
- Posts: 147
- Joined: Jun 13th, '06, 23:38
- Location: 1981 CD28 #305
Columbia, MO
Bees
Since we are on the topic of bees and allergic reactions. Keeping some Benadryl on your boat is something to consider, for that rare instance when you have a passenger, who has an allergic reaction. Often our boats can often be far from help. Benadryl is relatively inexpensive and easy to come by, and sometimes helps alot during allergic reactions to stings. I'm no medical expert though, so perhaps someone more knowledgeable can jump in.