Quail_Antwerp: Words from the Barnyard...

Quail_Antwerp

Cold is on the Right, Hot is on The Left
Joined
Sep 12, 2008
Messages
6,905
Reaction score
6
Points
262
Location
Ohio
Ok, now for the rest of the story - because someone isn't going to let up on me until I get it out :lol:

This past Tuesday, Mom calls and tells me her bees have swarmed. Both hives!

So first she says she's going to give them to anyone who can come remove them.

Then she says, "Too bad you don't have a hive set up, I'd give you one."

O M GOODNESS!!

I've been wanting bees ever since my mom started taking the bee classes and participating in the Don Meyer program in 2009. I almost signed up in 2010, but too much was going on for us.

So here we are, in 2011 - and I got a crash course in Beeking this week!

Mom, with the help of keljonma's advice, managed to capture both swarms. Hers into a cardboard box, and mine in a cardboard nuc box.

She brought the nuc box to us on Thursday night. We set up a dog box on cement blocks about where we wanted the hive to be. Then, we put the nuc box in the dog box to protect it from the weather.

Keljonma said she could bring me some beeking supplies and help me install the bees.

Lemme tell ya'll, she's an awesome friend! But she couldn't come until today, so the bees were in the cardboard nuc box over the weekend.

By Friday they had found a way out. Bees flying everywhere, but going back to the nuc box inside the dog box.

Keljonma and TR arrived right around 12:30 pm today and no time was wasted in getting out to the bees. By 2 pm the hive was set up and the bees installed.

Lemme tell you, when Keljonma lifted up the lid to the nuc box (while I watched and TR hid behind a tree screaming get the smoker get the smoker!) there were THOUSANDS of bees hanging to the box lid!

E said I should have seen the expression on my face when she lifted that lid and I saw those bees - and you betcha, I backed up and hid behind that tree with TR - I mean, she was wearing the ONLY SUIT!

But, it all went rather well, and I did get sorta close - and the bees didn't care that we were there, not really.

Well, the few that got squished when the lid was put in place might have cared but....well...lol

I have pics of the whole install process, and the dog box temp hive, but again, no cord, so the only pic I have to share is this one that Keljonma emailed me.

If you look close enough, you can see my bees flying in and out!

firstbeehive.jpg


TR has a real obsession with the smoker - keljonma was working around the hive and he's suddenly blurt out, "Need me to check that smoker? it looks like it's going out..."

I have a pic on my camera of the "men" hiding behind the trees LOL

Keljonma also had me suit up so I could feel comfortable trying things out. I practiced smoking my bees, pretended to use the hive tool (hahahaha) all just for photos!

I'll get to the library tomorrow to upload the install pics. I got an awesome one of the nuc box lid covered in bees.

Oh, and they had already started building comb in the box! keljonma saved it for me so i can keep it!

The sweetest moment of the day was when keljonma was putting on her bee suit, and TR wanted to be sure she had a bottle of water on hand so that she wouldn't over heat and pass out. :love


eta: I think this has been the busiest, most productive, and most satisfying weekend ever - even if i did want out of chickens for a minute!
 

emilosevich

Lovin' The Homestead
Joined
Jul 11, 2010
Messages
147
Reaction score
0
Points
64
Location
NE Ohio
Yay! on your bees. I think I would've been with the men behind a tree though. LOL. Not a fan of bees but very happy for the vineyard next door that has them.
 

keljonma

Epicurean Goddess
Joined
Sep 10, 2008
Messages
5,288
Reaction score
13
Points
257
Location
Garden Zone 8A Texas
I thought that E and TR were just inspecting that peach tree...they were hiding?! :lol:

Looking forward to seeing how the pics turned out. (It *does* help when the camera is on! :lol:

The WORST part was trying to separate the two halves of the dog box that the nuc was in!

It was fun and I wouldn't have even wore the jacket and veil, except TR was so worried, he would have NOT made it through the process. "Where ARE your gloves?" "Let me fix that smoker for you!" Isn't he a sweetie?


Leave that hive alone for a few days to let the bees feel comfy in their new home. :)



ETA: You should post a pic of that comb that was removed from the cardboard nuc. Just beautiful :D
 

Quail_Antwerp

Cold is on the Right, Hot is on The Left
Joined
Sep 12, 2008
Messages
6,905
Reaction score
6
Points
262
Location
Ohio
I'll take a pic of the comb and post it when I upload the other pics.

We've already been reading up the bee stuff you left us, AND I think we found the veil and jacket we want to order! :)
 

keljonma

Epicurean Goddess
Joined
Sep 10, 2008
Messages
5,288
Reaction score
13
Points
257
Location
Garden Zone 8A Texas
Ohhhh beek catalogues.... :love :lol:

BTW the set up I have is called an inspector's jacket and a clear vue zip on hat/veil. I got them from Dadant a number of years ago, so I'm not sure what they cost now.
 

Quail_Antwerp

Cold is on the Right, Hot is on The Left
Joined
Sep 12, 2008
Messages
6,905
Reaction score
6
Points
262
Location
Ohio
In Dadants catalog, there's one for $49.99 and another for $59.99 :D
 

Denim Deb

More Precious than Rubies
Joined
Oct 21, 2010
Messages
14,993
Reaction score
619
Points
417
I would not have been hiding behind the tree, I would have been hiding in the house-unless you had a suit for me to wear. I'm allergic to bees, which is one reason I haven't really looked into having them.
 

framing fowl

On a mission
Joined
Oct 30, 2009
Messages
2,130
Reaction score
76
Points
247
Location
Virginia
You always have the craziest auction stories :lol:. I can picture you sitting there with the doeling.

Hurray on the bees! I hope they settle in and love their new home.
 

keljonma

Epicurean Goddess
Joined
Sep 10, 2008
Messages
5,288
Reaction score
13
Points
257
Location
Garden Zone 8A Texas
Flying stinging insects have loved TR his entire life. So, I don't blame him for being leary of them. He makes the best beek's photographer, though.


With 2 hives ast year, I was stung a total of 7 times. The first 2 were my own fault, because I was not paying attention when near (not working) the hives. But 5 of them were presented to me when I was harvesting honey and the girls in the hive thought I was working too slowly. Just like us, they hate to be robbed. :D

Worker honeybees will only sting to defend their colonies, and once the workers sting someone they die.
 

keljonma

Epicurean Goddess
Joined
Sep 10, 2008
Messages
5,288
Reaction score
13
Points
257
Location
Garden Zone 8A Texas
Are you all worn out from your exciting week-end??? :D


ETA - that isn't such a bad pic considering it was taken with my phone!
 
Top