10/04/2025
Swarm temporarily settled in my garden on the Florida oak tree.
When a swarm of bees lands, the bees form a cluster around their queen. This is called festooning. The bees hang onto one another’s arms and legs like little acrobats. This cluster of bee bodies is an indescribable state of matter. It can wrap itself around branches, wires, or any other obstructions. If you were to stick your bare hand into it, you would feel hundreds of tiny pickings of bee feet, a surprising amount of heat, and the soft beating of wings.
