Linda, What a great picture! That's an awesome swarm of bees.

a delightful picture. Makes we want to go out and retrieve a swarm

Agree, a very nice picture, before and after.
Not a large swarm,...more birdhouse then bees,
I think it's a after swarm, these are the one's I like,
swarm with a new virgin queen!
I caught 3 of them last year and are doing very well.

Konrad

Have found a couple of pictures of a main swarm.
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I would be awestruck if I got to observe this phenomenon first hand. Lucky lucky you. Thank you thank you

Wow, what great pictures!! These bees on the little birdhouse are the first ones I've seen do that. Southern California is pretty heavily populated, and that may be why we don't see major bee swarms. It's tempting to keep them but there's already enough to do without another hobby. Thanks for all the nice comments. Linda

Here's the house again. The person who gardens at this house forgot the bees were there. His helper banged his head into the birdhouse, and the rest if obvious. Dozens of stings, more than 20 on his face. Is there anything we can do to encourage these guys to move along? They're pretty easy to move when it's cool at night, but where? They're in a very small back yard of a vacant house and some of the neighbors are concerned about them. I can bring them home, about a 20 minute drive. My yard is a little larger, and they could be 20 feet away from any house. They would also be out in the bright sun here. I thought they might fly the coop by now, but haven't. Any suggestions?
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Sometimes bees cannot find a home and will just stay where they are, soon they will build comb in the open and slowly the elements will kill them off. A big box would satisfy them, just shake them into it then find a beekeeper to give them to. Be careful, as time passes they will become more agressive.
Joe T