Mama Bee and me
Mama bee & Me
Okay....We have survived getting the swarm of honey bees home and how have to get them into a new hive as soon as possible before dark! I start to gather (2) hive shallows and 10 frames (this is all I have at the moment), a bottom board, hive cover, lid. I put all this gear in the back of the Avalanche with the box of bees and head down to the location of my two hives which I started in May.
Again my awesome son Ryan is with me and is getting more and more excited. We grab everything and start placing the shallows in the center of the two other hives. (As you can see from the pictures in May, my husband made a hive bench for me). I stand behind the hives and start to cut the tape to open the box. Ryan is now standing in front of the center hive and I ask him to move back and start to video tape. I gently tap the box a couple of time, open the box and literally pour the 20,000 bees in the new hive like a waterfall! Ryan is amazed in the sound that they are making and being in the center of thousands of bees. The shallow is small of all of the girls, but will do for 1-2 days until I can get a super and frames to move them too. Since I do not have a bottom ventilation screen and just a regular bottom board with entrance; I decide to install the entrance reduce to the smallest opening and place pine branches, grass and twigs in front of the entrance to let the girls know they have a new hive. Ryan who is in awe with all of these docile gentle bees asks the biggest question ever! "Mom, what would happen if I touch them" I let him know that this is the time they are most docile and gentle...they have not home...no brood or honey to protect. My brave son decides to gently place his hand on the side of the hive and scoop some of the bees in his unprotected hand! He says it tickles a little as the girls are fanning and lifts his hand out of the hive with about 8-10 honey bees walking on his open hand. This was the most magical thing I have ever seen and this is why I choose to be a "Bee Protector" and not a beekeeper! After is we thanked the girls, welcomed them home and said good-night .
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
August 2015
Categories |