Photographer Ben Fisher was kind enough to call me and I arrived to catch the swarm. With the bees in a mild state, lacking a hive to protect, it was possible to work the bees with minimal gear. It is very probable that the swarm could have been worked with no veil either...
It is possible to work bees with no veil, but the day will come when the bees will convince you that a veil is cheap protection.
Walter Kelley,
"How To Keep Bees and Sell Honey"
The branches of the bush were cut, and the bees shaken into the waiting box. The only box I had available was a 5 frame nuc box, which was clearly inadequate for the size of this swarm. After taking the swarm, I had to quickly finish a regular box for them to live in...
Photo courtesy of Ben Fisher
