Phew, the bees have flown

After a few days' worry the bees have disappeared. I read on the internet that honey bees swarm, laden with honey, and scouts go off to find somewhere suitable to make their hive - a sort of B&B search. Once found the vast majority clutter off to establish their hive, along with the queen. A few dim and greedy bees get left behind, busily lapping up the honey drips in the arms the Madonna, but die over the subsequent few days, unable to survive without the rest of the colony. Sad but sweet.