What happens legally when a bee swarm escapes?

The Civil Code contains a rule from the 19th century that still stands today: if a beekeeper fails to pursue their escaped swarm immediately, they lose ownership of it. If someone else catches the now-ownerless swarm, they may keep it without dealing with the original owner. The rule stems from a time when beekeeping was a core part of agricultural life, but nobody has ever removed it from the law. It demonstrates how many strange, seemingly forgotten rules still count as valid German law.