UK heatwave could create ‘nectar tsunami’ that triggers influx of BEES

With temperatures in parts of the UK set to hit 32°C today, many Brits will be looking forward to heading into the garden to enjoy the sun. 

But a new warning may encourage you to keep your eyes peeled while you bask in the rays. 

One of the UK’s leading beekeepers has warned of an influx of bees into Britain. 

According to Laurence Edwards, 39, the UK heatwave could create a ‘nectar tsunami’ that triggers a rapid swarming event. 

‘After the recent hot spell, beekeepers across the UK are seeing an explosion in swarming activity and the soaring temperatures over the next few days could potentially result in a massive increase in bee swarms,’ he explained. 

‘What the public will see is a “cloud” of up to 50,000 bees. The sky turns black. The sound is deafening.’

While this sounds like the start of a horror film, Mr Edwards maintains that the swarming bees are ‘generally not aggressive.’ 

He added: ‘Swarming bees are generally not aggressive. They have no home to defend, no reason to sting.’

Mr Edwards, who runs Black Mountain Honey, explained that swarming is the honeybees’ ‘way of surviving’. 

‘It’s how they reproduce on a colony level,’ he said. 

‘When a hive becomes overcrowded, the old queen leaves with thousands of workers to find a new home. 

‘It’s not chaos, it’s one of the most extraordinary natural behaviours on the planet.’

Usually, beekepers actively manage their colonies to prevent swarming. 

However, the UK heatwave could provide the perfect conditions for a mass swarming event. 

Temperatures across parts of the country will hit 32°C today, before similar highs tomorrow and then 33°C on Saturday. 

‘Heatwaves can trigger a “nectar tsunami” that saturates the inside of the beehive with this sweet, sugary solution,’ Mr Edwards warned.

‘This is generally good for bees but if the beekeeper hasn’t provided enough space for this bounty of nectar, it can trigger rapid swarming events, even in urban areas.’ 

If you see a swarm heading your way, your instincts will probably tell you to run away. 

Instead, Mr Edwards encourages Brits to ‘enjoy’ the ‘magical’ event. 

‘Stay calm. Don’t run, don’t swat, don’t spray. ENJOY. It’s truly magical!’ he said. 

However, he added: ‘Keep your distance. Observe from afar.’

If the swarm is at your home, it’s best to call a local beekeper rather than pest control, according to Mr Edwards. 

‘Swarms can usually be safely collected within hour,’ he added. 

How do honeybees make a queen?

Honeybees make a queen by treating a normal youngster in a unique way, causing it to develop into a queen rather than a worker.

They start by building a special, larger cell, and filling it with a substance called ‘royal jelly’.

This is a combination of water, sugars and proteins that appears milky in colour, secreted from glands in the heads of worker bees.

A youngster is then plucked from its cell and placed into the unique cell with the royal jelly, which it consumes.

To aide its development, a study published in Science Advances in 2015 suggested, it is also denied pollen and honey to aide its development, which is fed to normal workers.