Thursday August 6th, 2009
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Tom Seeley puts on a good show.  He set up an artificial swarm, with a confined queen and invited us to watch the dances and predict the departure.  After a few false starts, due to changes in weather, they lifted off. 

Discussing what we will see The swarm getting ready to go We have liftoff!

 Minutes later, missing their queen, they came back. 
Of course, beekeepers being beekeepers, we had to fool around.

The queen was left behind in her cage.  A few bees try desperately to make her fly Five minutes later the bees realise they have no queen and return Demonstrating how gentle the swarming bees are.  No one was stung.