The package was buzzing like crazy! Those 3 lbs of bees didn't like being stuck in that little box... so we let them out - slowly of course!
I put on a bee veil that my friend Dave lent to me, along with my long sleeved white jacket, and some gloves. I had long pants on, and put rubber bands around the bottom so no bees could crawl/fly up my pant legs.
They were very gentle bees, none of them were chasing after me or swarming at me, trying to sting. I had several that landed on me, then just flew away after a minute. I was pretty happy that I didn't get stung AT ALL during the installation of the package of bees. I think the key is to work slowly and confidently, keeping bumping and rattling to a minimum!
The can is full of syrup (1 part sugar/1 part water) for the bees to get a good head start in their hive. If there doesn't seem to be a good nectar flow, I can easily supplement their diet with some syrup made in my kitchen -nothing fancy!
A few days later I headed out to check on the little buggies - they were hard at work, drawing out comb on the foundation.
Look at all of those bees!
Look at all of those bees!
The bees seem pretty happy in their home, and in a few more days I'll check on them to make sure the queen is laying eggs. They're doing a good job making comb right now, and I know she's in there, so I'm content to let them work for a little while before I check on them again! Pretty soon we'll add another hive body and a honey super, just to make sure they have enough room for growth and storage their first year here.
3 comments:
Wow, Em, look at you! That is incredibly cool. My grandpa always kept a hive and he got to where he didn't need a mask, his bees were so used to him. I have a picture of him petting a bee on the hive with his finger (not recommended to us, of course). Your own honey will be sweet!
I am SUPER impressed. I have dreams of keeping bees, even though I'm allergic to them! I want to know more, hope you continue to post about your progress. Thanks for visiting me at my blog. The honey pots are a fun thing to collect. You need to get one.
Hey, I just saw that Maria at ChickenBlog referenced you and bees. I keep bees too and am always glad to see someone get into the hobby! You'll get some stings but I suspect the bees will get under your skin so to speak...keep up the good work!
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