Jon

Well I wasn't planning on seeing Tim until tomorrow but he called me on the mobile today about 6.00 when I was up at my allotment. A friend of his who is a pest controller had been called out to a swarm in Derryvolgie Avenue which is just about the poshest address in Belfast. He didn't want to touch it so called Tim who then called me.
I gathered together the swarm gear, skep, sheets, etc and we headed off to BT9 which is the post code one aspires to in Belfast
The swarm was 25 feet up in an old cherry tree and we put up a triple extension ladder.
Surveying the universe from the top of that ladder, pergolas, koi ponds and garden statues stretched as far as the eye could see.
Some might suggest that Tiny should not even need a ladder but he had never collected a swarm before so I had to do the dirty work. We arrived about 6.40 and he said he had to be home by 7.30 to babysit and he lives a good 25 minute drive away.
I took the skep up the ladder and scobed the bees into it with my hand as the branch was far too thick to shake and the swarm was huge. Luckily I must have got the queen the first time and I shook the skep in front of his travel box and the bees marched in. I went up and down the ladder a few more times and got most of the stragglers.
Tim left at 7.15 and I was left to entertain swathes of Belfast's elite and their progeny who all wanted to watch the beekeeping greatest shown on earth. I swear to God there was a woman dressed for tennis who made her apologies as she had to knock a few balls over the net at the Raquets Club.
Tim got back about a quarter to nine having delegated the care of his 3 small children to the sister in law.
We had to carry the bees through the house via the remains of a dinner party. Seriously, I am not making any of this up!
I got some reheated dinner about 9.30.

PS
Tim dropped me off two bottles of wine at the weekend so we all got a result!