The bees arrived today at 10:03am to Todd Canterino's. We left work and I went home to prepare my hive and get all my tools together. Todd came and brought our bees and then helped me install them. It it technically too cold, but it wasn't going to get any warmer any time soon, so we decided we better go for it. I put some honey in a plastic container with some sticks so that my hungry bees would have some food in their new home. Todd arrived, and we had to separate the boxes of bees. Luckily, Todd brought his axe. After some trial and error, we figured it out and took the bees up to their new hive. The queen didn't have a metal hook like we were expecting, but we were able to hang her between the top bars. The box fit into the hive, but it seemed too cold to let the queen be by herself until her entourage decided to mosey out of the box, so I began banging them out. They didn't really like this, as was to be expected, but due to the cold, I think, I only got stung once. I did get 2 bees up my pants- note to self- no wide bottom pants. They didn't sting me though, so all is well. Enjoy the photos! (oh and I forgot to put my veil on first!
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Sometimes I worry about you. You have already gotten stung! What happens in the warm weather?
ReplyDeleteNo worries Mom, I won't ever have arthritis!
ReplyDeleteGood to get your first sting out of the way, now you know your not allergic and not a big deal.
ReplyDeleteDo you use a follower board to limit the hive space at first or give them the whole hive space? (If all of it the smallness of hive will be an advantage in helping to prevent them from absconding. (They just up and leave before there is any brood with too much space, as soon as the queen starts laying no issues with that.)
I have two clients who I give bees to for their arthritis. I even joke about dosing as the young nurse bees have less venom, the old field bees more than that, and the middle aged guard bees are at their most venomous.
Kagen