Ribh's D'Coopage

[BY Bob]

Yup they're honey bees and they do sting but are in general pretty mellow.
I am told that in France now where they also have the Asian hornet the bees have learned how to deal with them.

I had not heard that the bees had adapted. That is great news.

That bush in front of my coop is full of honeybees when it blooms in September. I walk right by them all the time and they don't care. It's pretty cool.

 

[BY Bob]

Thanks, MJ. We reached our 7KG around Feb so it's definitely time to split the hive before the bees decide to do it themselves. Definitely low maintenance!

Beekeeping is one of the things I say I would like to do if I had more land. I think it is fascinating.

 

[Kris5902]

Beekeeping is one of the things I say I would like to do if I had more land. I think it is fascinating.

Me too! It’s on the agenda for whenever the family will agree, but highly unlikely due to a severe allergy in one member. I do have plenty of paper wasps which are also cool, docile, and eat “bad” bugs if you move slowly you can get within inches of their nests with no aggression.

 

[RoyalChick]

Beekeeping is one of the things I say I would like to do if I had more land. I think it is fascinating.

Me too. I was undecided between bees or chickens last year and then the kid landed me with chickens (not complaining!), but bees are definitely still on my list. Maybe when I retire. I also have loads of honey bees - they hang out on the garlic chives and I always wonder if they belong to someone and if I am ruining their honey by making it taste of garlic!

 

[Ribh]

Shortly after you asked how they were doing I got this email from him.

Good evening!

Thank you so much for sending and shearing with us their beautiful history!
They are doing great and in a few days we will try to get them out of the “galliner” for the first time!

A big hug from my family too,

Tomeu

What a lovely note!
I had to look up *galliner*. New word for me. I kept reading it as gaol.

So good to hear the move has gone well & they are doing ok.

 

[Ribh]

Good evening folks

Good evening everyone

Waving... Hope you are both doing well still. Most of my street is going stir crazy. I feel so blessed to be able to be busy & happy @ home.

 

[Shadrach]

What a lovely note!
I had to look up *galliner*. New word for me. I kept reading it as gaol.

So good to hear the move has gone well & they are doing ok.

I didn't know what it meant either. In case you had difficulty it means the run rather than the coop.

 

[Ribh]

Beekeeping is one of the things I say I would like to do if I had more land. I think it is fascinating.

I don't think you need a lot of land for a hive or two ~ but then I don't know about honey bees. Our natives [as in the species we have] only forage about 500m from their hive. If you've plenty of food nearby that's what they'll harvest. Once upon a time most country people kept a skip or two but like so much else people would rather pay someone else to do the work for them even if the end result is poorer quality. One of my cousins used to do bees & honey straight from the hive doesn't taste anything like what you get in the shops. Even the colour is different, so much darker. I've got to paint the new hive apparently. It's a little smaller than our present one & the man has already gone online to order another & a starter colony. This could get out of control fast...

 

[Ribh]

I didn't know what it meant either. In case you had difficulty it means the run rather than the coop.

Thanks, Shad. Google said *henhouse* ~ which is a very elastic term!

 

[Shadrach]

There are days like this.
Moon got up from her nest. I put food outside so when she did decide to unload 24 hours worth int wouldn't be in the house. Had to attend to a cooking pot and then this.....

I still have the small in my nostrils.