Bee Swarm

Yesterday hubby got a call about a bee swarm a few miles from town so we packed up our gear and headed out in search of the bees. We found them clustered on a fence post which was hanging with grape vines. As swarms go, it wasn't a huge one and it was a very easy and gentle process to coax the bees into a box of frames. No doubt they were happy to have new digs provided for them so they could get back to the business of honey-making.
Here's hubby pointing out the queen: she has a larger body, darker thorax and pointier end.

Some past swarms we've been called to capture have been a bit more dramatic in their appearance. This interesting-shaped one from last summer was quite high up in a tree:

The cluster of this swarm resembles a huge pine cone, which was what the homeowner first thought when he saw it. When he investigated, he was surprised to find bees!