An experienced beekeeper says a hive that made its home under a Bovington family’s garden decking is one of the largest he’s ever seen.
When Rachel Tapping, her partner Paul, and their daughter moved into their home in Bovington in Dorset in spring 2025, they expected a few garden visitors but not 80,000 bees!
The hive was tucked away under the garden decking so caused less disruption than might have been imagined
“Fascinating to sit and watch them in the garden”
At first Rachel thought it was just a passing swarm making a fleeting pitstop, but it turned into an extraordinary 15 month experience, culminating in one of Dorset’s most astonishing bee extractions.
Rachel told Swanage.News:
“When I first saw a few bees buzzing round the garden I was very excited and could see they were starting to make a hive under the decking but I didn’t think much of it. I just thought what an honour that they’ve chosen me as their bee keeper!
“I honestly thought they would die off over winter or move on and that would be the end of it. But by spring they were still there.
“We’d started to get used to them, a relationship formed, and I even felt they recognised my voice. My husband was the only one to get stung and that was only once. It was fascinating to sit and watch them in the garden – they were very docile.”
The time had come to take action and the decking boards were carefully lifted
The full extent of the huge hive was revealed much to everyone’s amazement
Colony had swollen to tens of thousands of bees
However, when the weather started to get hot at the end of May 2026, Rachel noticed a huge increase in the number of bees and the hive just kept growing in size.
The colony had swollen to tens of thousands of bees and the family realised it was getting a bit crazy, so they contacted an expert for help.
Iwan, a beekeeper from Puddletown Forest who comes from a family of beekeepers and has over 22 years of experience, was able to come to their rescue.
But even Iwan wasn’t prepared for what lay beneath the decking. As the boards were carefully lifted by their friend Mike on Monday 6th July 2026, a cavernous expanse of golden wax comb was revealed.
The wild hive had spread out to around two metres by two metres which was far larger than the metre square size the family had initially estimated.
With over 25 combs packed side-by-side, the comb surface area was enormous. While a standard managed hive holds around 40,000 to 50,000 bees, it was estimated this wild colony harboured between 60,000 and 90,000 workers, right under the family’s feet!
Iwan told Rachel and Paul that it was the largest hive he’d ever seen. Paul added:
“We couldn’t believe how much comb there was. It just kept coming and coming!”
The beehive combs were packed together under the decking boards
“It has really helped with my mental health”
The extraction was a delicate, painstaking operation. With the combs laden with approximately 40 to 60 kilograms of honey, the weight was immense.
Fortunately, Iwan and his team handled the task with precision, carefully relocating the queen and her subjects to a new, purpose-built hive.
Rachel, who has suffered from anxiety for years, says the bees became an unexpected therapist. She said:
“It has really helped with my mental health. Watching the bees’ devotion to their colony and their refusal to stop working even when conditions were tough, has taught me a lesson in resilience.
“I will miss them, but I’m already planning on visiting them in their new home once they are settled. I think things must happen for a reason!”
Rachel Tapping with her reward for being so accommodating to her bee visitors
A sweet gift
Although Rachel’s experience was a positive one, she cautions that it isn’t for everyone and it’s best to get advice from the Dorset Beekeepers Association or call a professional swarm collector. She adds that no one should attempt to remove a colony themselves.
While most of the honey was transferred to the bees’ new hive to keep them going through the winter, Rachel was delighted there was a sweet end to the story.
The family received a fantastic gift from their bees – two large jars of genuinely homemade honey!
Watch the bees in action
Further information
- More about bees from the Dorset Beekeepers Association
