BeeHive

[Citrine]

Thanks peeps for your words of encouragement - will keep going, its just I was SO excited!!! Bit of a comedown, thats all!!

[Moonpoppy]

Hi Citrine

I just had to come over to Down the Lane to keep up with your latest bee exploits, what an adventurous few days you've had, sweetie!

I know it must be quite hard with these flirty bees unable to make up their minds where they want to live (!) but you are making some excellent contacts in the meantime, hey?

Moonpoppy x

[Citrine]

Bee Diary 5
Well, got a call at around 17:00 ish last night – a swarm in a rose bush, an hours drive from us.
Hubby asks the questions – he’d getting it perfected, so we don’t have a wasted trip – where is the swarm? How long have they been there? What size are they? That sort of thing. We establish that it is a Honey Bee swarm, so we get our gear together, and set off on our journey.
This time, we discuss how to go about it – no pressure of trains, so we can be cool, calm and collected about the whole thing.
We find the house no problems, and go through to the garden. The lady and children just stare at us, I imagine we must look like something out of GhostBusters to them!
The swarm is indeed in a tall rose bush, and a rather neat, small but perfectly formed swarm it is too!
After confirming that it is a Honey Bee swarm, and not a Wasp nest, which the lady originally thought they were, the atmosphere calmed down a little. The family asks if they can watch, and we advise that they can stay outside, just stand well back. Explained that the bee’s were full of honey and looking for a new home, and were not interested in humans.
I placed the cardboard box under the swarm, and put my hand into the middle of the swarm and put the bees into the box. My thinking was that I should have gotten hold of the queen, and the rest of the colony should follow. I took another few handfuls just to be on the safe side.
That done, we left the box open, and watched for 45 mins whilst the rest of the bee’s caught up and settled in the box. During this time, we were bombarded with questions, by the lady and her two children.
She told us about how she was sunbathing, and had watched the Swarm build up over the afternoon, and that she genuinely thought they were wasps. She said it was like watching something out of a film, and that her attitude towards bees was changing – normally, she would have killed a flying insect. We took the time to explain about bees and their place in nature, and not forgetting to put in a word or three for battery farming etc.
I felt a real sense of achievement when we finally left, as, and I don’t know how to put this without sounding patronizing, education and interaction with us had completely turned this families attitude and outlook on not only bees but nature as a whole.
So, now its time to take them back home. The box is in the car on the back seat. We have one escapee, and I sit with her on my knee.
Once home without any adventures, we take them to the hive, and do as previously instructed.
The box is placed in front of the hive. A material covered ramp is put in place for them to walk up into the hive - they do this instinctively, but it takes a little time. It is getting cooler and the night is drawing in. By now the time is 20:45. We just sit and watch, waiting for them all to enter.
Tomorrow is another day, wonder if they’ll stay this time?

[wendy]

How interesting, have I said that before ?
Educating people isn't patronising, if it isn't done in that way. That family will now go on to tell others of their experience and your words and more people will realise we all have a place in the world.
I thought you could just put up a hive and let them get on with it. Apparently not
Please keep telling us about your adventures and I hope this group stay with you.
Wendy

[Citrine]

Aww, thanks Wendy X Will continue to do so, until I'm stopped, he he he!!!

Luckily its a nice overcast cloudy day, so the Bee's SHOULDNT fly away - not today, anyway!!!

[Moonpoppy]

What an adventure, Citrine ... I think its wonderful how you have helped turn around a family's views on nature. What a buzz that must have been *he he he*

Let's hope the cloudy weather helps them to settle in to their new home

Thanks for keeping us updated, it's fascinating stuff! I'd never do anything like bee-keeping but its such a complex business, I'm fascinated!
xx

[rachell24]

are they still there Citrine?

[Citrine]

YES!!!!!!!!!!

[rachell24]

wahey

I thought after your post on "we are so lucky" that they had gone, leaving you in a bad mood!

Get those honey pots ready!

Rachel

[Citrine]

...I was playing 'Devils Advocate', which I do quite a lot - and inevitably end up in trouble!! I really should learn not to do it, but its impulsive......

[chickenofthewoods]

Brilliant, I've enjoyed reading every bit of your story. Although it can't have been much fun to lose the first swarm especially after all the effort you'd gone to, everything that's happened that you've shared has taught me more than an afternoon spent immersed in a beekeeping manual ever could.

One day I want beehives!

[Citrine]

Thanks Chickenofthewoods - you should go for it if you ever can!!!

Are you doing much foraging?? I'd like to hear a lot more of what you do, but must admit to not liking mushrooms!!

[melons]

blimey O, this is one hugely brilliant project, I'm the same as every one else & I'd love some bee's. I've got a mortar bee box, but that's nothing like your fun & games
I'm going to use you as an experiment, to see what kind of a commitment these little furry bums are
I'm so impressed.

[Citrine]

...ive been called some things, but experiment??!! Ha ha ha

[chickenofthewoods]

Don't laugh, I rearly posted I want hives - and then I stopped & thought better of that!

I'm getting out an about as much as I can thanks Citrine (just wish the weather would make its mind up!). Now is the season when it all runs amok and if you're not quick you can easily miss stuff.

Hoping to be be down at Littlehall in Canterbury next weekend so I'll have to get a pile of foraged stuff ready to bore everyone to death with.

Picked Samphire today, some Sea Purslane and Sea Beet. I'm eyeing up the elder buds too, might pickle some more this year as they're rather good with a ploghman's lunch.

How's the swarm? Still comfy in their new pad? I bet you feel like a proud parent! It's just ocurred to me that at this rate you'll soon be one of the people other folks are ringing for advice - how cool is that?