This swarm of honey bees picked out a tree in the valley below our house in Tuscany and has spent the day growing and growing. The were initially several small clusters that eventually fused into one large shape. How long they stay remains to be seen. I took shots from all angles and at all magnifications! – without getting too close, although apparently the bees are not aggresive when they are swarming like this. Some of the shapes resemble other creatures – there’s a leopard gracefully descending the branches, and this one – a sloth or perhaps an orang-utan swinging by one arm.
What is less obvious from the photos is the constant movement over the surface of the swarm and the low buzz surrounding it.
