Around 3,000 bees settled in the archway of Organico, a home fragrance business inspired by Manchester's worker bee symbol, temporarily halting operations. The swarm appeared within an hour on Monday, June 15, at the basement entrance of their Oldham premises.
Surprise Swarm
Ashleigh and James Bullows, founders of Organico, arrived at 9am to find no bees, but by 10am, a large swarm had gathered above the padlock to their stockroom. 'There was nothing there at around 9am and when we came back down to the basement at around 10am, the hive was there,' said Ashleigh, 34.
The couple saw it as a happy coincidence, given their bee-themed products. 'We thought it was a happy coincidence really with our products being based on the Manchester bee symbol and us being proud Mancunians,' Ashleigh added.
Business Paused
The bees blocked access to stock needed for customer orders. 'My husband just went, “Oh my gosh” and they were just there. It was directly above the padlock and we couldn’t get in,' Ashleigh said. 'We were like: “Right, OK, we’re not going to do any work today.” It stopped us in our tracks, but for a lovely reason.'
The couple contacted local beekeeper Greg from Daisy Nook Apiary, who safely removed the swarm. 'Within a couple of hours Greg the beekeeper came out and safely rehomed and removed all the bees,' Ashleigh said.
Beekeeper's Perspective
Greg estimated the swarm contained about 3,000 bees. 'I arrived at the site and the swarm of bees, about 3,000 of them, was hanging on the arch of the doors which led into the storage area,' he said. He collected the main part where the queen was expected and used a bee hoover for the rest.
Greg explained swarming is natural when a colony becomes overcrowded. 'The old queen then leaves with a large group of bees to find a new home. They usually happen in the morning or around midday. The bees were just in a temporary stop on the doorway arch while they looked for a new home.'
Symbolic Connection
Organico was founded five years ago during lockdown, with the Manchester bee central to its brand. 'We launched the brand during lockdown and wanted to keep ourselves busy. Both being from Manchester, we wanted a nod to our home city, so we went with the bee theme,' Ashleigh said.
The experience felt fitting. 'We’ve never seen anything like it before. It almost felt like the bees had come to give us a sign. When you’re running a business it’s not always sunshine and rainbows, so it felt like a bit of a boost. It was lovely.'
The couple plan to visit the bees at Greg's apiary and hope to eventually get honey from them. Greg welcomed the visit.
