On Wednesday afternoon, a swarm of bees descended upon St Mary’s Street, one of Cardiff city centre’s bustling thoroughfares. Passersby were taken aback by the sight of the bee mass congregating on the pavement near the street’s lively bars and restaurants.
Authorities promptly cordoned off the area, but the bees remained undisturbed, basking in the sunlight. While the British Beekeepers Association reassures that most honey bee swarms are not aggressive, they advise people to exercise caution and refrain from interfering. Swarming is a natural behavior of honey bees, typically occurring when they are in search of a new habitat.
Likewise, the association advises against disturbing swarms of bumblebees, as they serve as invaluable pollinators, with some species even facing endangerment. This recent incident is not the first time Cardiff has played host to a bee swarm.
In May, a swarm settled on a car in Cardiff after a younger female bee took charge of the hive. The swarm made itself at home on the back of a parked white Seat on Bute Street, nearly covering the entire rear window.
Another swarm alighted on a Mini in Duffryn, Newport, also in May. According to experts, swarms are most likely to occur on warm, sunny days from May to the end of July.
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Beekeepers often recite a saying: “A swarm in May is worth a load of hay; a swarm in June is worth a silver spoon; but a swarm in July is not worth a fly.” This adage signifies that the later in the year a swarm emerges, the less time the bees have to gather pollen from blooming flowers.