Mama Bee and me
Mama bee & Me
I have been dying to get into the swarm hive and see whats been going on and to see if I could find the Queen. All I can say is WOW, do I have an awesome Queen. Lots of pure white comb, eggs, and tiny larvae! Our beautiful Queen decided to grace us with her present and show herself. Since Ryan assisted me on getting the swarm and getting them into their new home, I told him he could name her. Since we found her in a bird feeder and have two blue Heron's on out Spring Creek we decided to name her "Queen Heron". Plus this is a wonderful tribute to one of the most beautiful inspirational woman I have known, my husbands Mother Heron! Who also had a small card company named "Blue Heron" so it was met to BEE!
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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 . OMG....I got a call out for a swarm about 3.5 miles away from my house. After losing a call on a small 3 lb. swarm last night, I was very very surprised to recent this call just a day later! My 14 year old son Ryan and I packed up some gear...a sturdy cardboard box, packing tape, full bee suit, half bee suit, and my gloves and cell phone of course and headed out to a local golf course that was backed up against a woody hill.
To my surprise it was a HUGE swarm!!! Approximately a 5.5 pounded! Here's the math (3,666 of bees per pound x 5.5 lb swarm = about 20,163 of bees give or take). I suit up and Ryan is videoing the whole capture! The swarm is on a bird feeder which has a pretty heavy base. After moving it very slowing and hearing my son say "Oh my gosh Mom, their like Jell-O", I stop and make sure the girls are okay. I slowly tilt the bird feeder over the open box and they start pouring in...give a little shake and more pour in the box. They have just clustered on the outside of the feeder, but inside as well. I repeat this process twice giving about 5 mins in between as some are in flight and gather back to the bird feeder. Afterwards, I tape up the box and pray that I have the Queen. I thank the wonderful lady Lynn for calling to have the bees relocated instead of harmed! I tell her that I will call her later this evening and have her check the bird feeder to see if they are gathering again. NOW THE FUN REALLY BEGINS! Driving home with 20,000 bees in the back of my Avalanche! |
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August 2015
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