Bees at the town hall: A swarm causes a sweet surprise in Lübtheen!

Bees at the town hall: A swarm causes a sweet surprise in Lübtheen!

Lübtheen, Deutschland - In Lübtheen, a swarm of honey bees has settled at the town hall building, which causes a sensation among the population. These bees have created several honeycombs in a niche under the roof of the roof and are now producing linden honey. Mayor Ute Lindenau reports that the bees have been picked up several times by a beekeeper, but always return. In order to clarify the situation, the city decided to let the bees live at the town hall instead of moving them up again.

However, capturing the swarm is complicated. The fire brigade has a turntable ladder, but this is too large to be turned off at the town hall. A climbing car has to be rented that takes a bee specialist to the animals. In view of the constant return of the bees, this proves to be uneconomical. The city has therefore made a pragmatic decision.

legal foundations and challenges

The special conditions around bee swarms are not only of practical, but also of legal importance. Bee floors are not considered to be abandoned if they are outside the beekeeper. This is regulated in §§ 961 to 964 of the Civil Code (BGB), which ensure that beekeepers are entitled to enter foreign land in order to capture their swarm. These legal framework conditions offer a certain security for beekeepers who have to act in such situations.

In addition, the honey of the town hall bees could theoretically be used. However, this would require the destruction of the beehive, which is not in the sense of sustainable beekeeping.

What is a swarm of bees?

The swarm, which lingered at the town hall of Lübtheen, is a typical example of the natural form of propagation of honey bee colonies. According to the bee journal, bee swarms take off especially in May and June, often during lunchtime. A swarm arises when a bee colony is shared and the old queen moves with part of the people. This usually happens when the people are large enough and are available enough nectar and pollen.

The old queen leaves the stick shortly before new queens hatch, and the swarms gather in nearby places before looking for a new nesting place. Beekeepers often face the challenge of preventing swarms, as this can cause honey losses and problems with neighbors. In order to dampen the swarm drive, enough space in the beehive must be created and regular checks are carried out.

As a rule, everyone can capture a swarm of bees as long as they are considerate. Methods for this include spraying with water or sweeping into a swarm box. In addition, the beekeeping specialist deals with special utensils for swarm catches. Safety is of the greatest importance when it comes to swarm catches, which is why beekeepers should consult the fire brigade to avoid possible dangers.

With his decision to leave the bees on the town hall, the city of Lübtheen makes a prudent choice in dealing with these important insects, which are of great importance not only for biodiversity, but also for local agriculture.