Removed some bees for a neighbor today and got myself a new hive

[dissimulo]

Removing bee hives is one of those things that can go very well or very badly. Today went very well and I got myself a nice new hive of bees for about an hour's worth of work.

Clickable thumbnails:

 

[Fred]

That's pretty slick -- even slicker when they're free.

Getting a hive or two going is on my list for one of these springs. I wanted to do it this year, but got too busy.

 

[Jackpine Savage]

Nicely done. Last year my DW and I drove 60 miles to get a swarm that set up residence in a tree near someones lake cabin. We got there and found the bees were all dead. Evidently one of the other neighbors sprayed them. We took the comb down from the tree and found several rocks embedded in it. I guess the neighbor kids must have thrown rocks and probably gotten stung.

 

[dissimulo]

Last year my DW and I drove 60 miles to get a swarm that set up residence in a tree near someones lake cabin. We got there and found the bees were all dead. Evidently one of the other neighbors sprayed them.

I know that frustration. The two removals I did prior to this had both been sprayed. I had to throw away most of the comb and combine the bees into one hive. Jury's still out on whether they will make it or not.

There are a lot of things people don't understand about bees. Apparently they don't understand that they are valuable. They also don't understand that even if you kill bees in your wall, there still may be 200 pounds of comb, brood, and honey left in there to rot and liquefy.

However, I can't chalk any of that up to maliciousness, since I have discovered recently that most people can't tell the difference between a bee and a wasp. Apparently we have become such an indoor culture that anything that flies and stings is a "bee" and should be killed.

 

[dissimulo]

It's been a good week for bees

Today I picked up this little swarm.

 

[Freeholder]

That's excellent, for both batches! Bees are still on my to-do list, although I wouldn't be able to use the honey for anything but barter now. Well, maybe for medicinal purposes....I want to have top-bar hives, though, because I want the wax more than the honey.

Kathleen