Every removal we do in Johannesburg brings a new challenge, and our latest trip out to Centurion was no exception. We were called out to rescue a swarm that had moved into a 15-liter ceramic pot, which was part of a garden water feature.

When the owner described it, I realized this was the perfect opportunity for a “low-stress” move—well, low stress for us, but maybe a bit confusing for the bees!

The “Portal” Removal Strategy

Instead of vacuuming the bees or cutting out comb on-site, we decided to take the entire house with us. We carefully disassembled the water feature, lifted the pot (bees and all), and sealed the openings with mesh.

Ethan and I were joking on the way home that these bees are going to wake up in the morning feeling like they traveled through a portal. One minute they’re in a quiet garden in Pretoria, and the next, they’re in a new apiary in a different city! Since we didn’t disturb their internal structure at all during the drive, they remained incredibly calm.

Settling into the New Hive

This was a relatively small, “tiny” swarm. They hadn’t built much comb yet—just one singular small piece. To give them a head start in their new 10-frame box, I decided to:

1. Supplement with Comb: I gave them some extra clean comb from previous removals to act as a “booster.”
2. The Shake-Out: Since the swarm was small and the pot was easy to handle, we were able to gently shake them directly into their new hive box.
3. The Queen Guard: I couldn’t spot the queen during the move (she’s a fast runner!), so I fitted a makeshift queen guard over the entrance. This ensures the workers can come and go, but the queen can’t decide to fly off and find a new pot elsewhere.

Happy Clients, Happy Bees

The homeowners were thrilled to have their garden back (and we’ll be dropping their pot back to them soon once the bees are fully established). For the bees, we’ve provided plenty of sugar water and nectar to help them build out their new home.

It was a simple, successful extraction that brings us one step closer to our goal. If you’ve ever dealt with a swarm in a decorative pot, I’d love to hear how you handled it!

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Next step: I’ll be showing you some of the DIY equipment I’ve been building in the workshop to handle our growing number of swarms. See you in the next one!