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Things I learned today:
1. when properly motivated an old fat man can run the 100yard dash
2. A bee can provide said motivation
3. opening a hive lid when it’s 40 degrees and rainy outside does not insure one against a mean “b” bee
4. a bee that chases A person over 200 ft is intent on inflicting pain before it dies.
5. the jeweled Queen’s granddaughters are all mean. Her daughter must die.
6. the other hive is very docile.
7. bee
I decided to open the lid and see how the sugar water I gave the bees was doing. I was outside, it’s cold wet and miserable. I figured just lifting the lid and taking a quick peek would be safe.
I was 50% correct.
I was worried the feeder in the docile hive might leak, so I opened the lid. I found I made an error. The hole in the sub cover was being blocked so no bees could go up and down from the hive to the feeder.
The feeder itself was doing great. There were maybe 25 bees trapped in the feeder super. I found a small stick reached in and slid the frame a tad making a good 3/8 plus hole for the bees. They immediately came through it and crawled to the feeder. No bees flew at all.
Nice bees..
I should mention the weight of the feeder pushed the inner lid down on the frame so there was no crawl space. I use a spacer to set the distance in the honey supers, so I have 9 frames in a 10 frame box. I now know by doing this the frame blocks the hole in the lid completely.
I decided I should look in the other hive to see if it happened there too. It did.
I was just looking, had barely opened the lid, I did not reach in at all, when 4 million bees came rushing out in an aerial assault formation.
My neurons fired fast enough to tell me to get the_____ out of there. My legs that have refused to run for 20 years took over and ran.
There was a persistent buzzing right behind me. My legs ran faster. I thought when I cleared the orchard fence which is over 100 ft from the bees I would be safe.
The buzzing told me I should run another 100 feet for good luck. At the end of the second 100 ft the buzzing was less. However, it was not done. At about the 100 yard mark I slowed down. The bee did not. She got me. Only 1 stayed for the whole 300ft.
That is one too many. My neck is throbbing. I am going to suit up and go move that frame, only because I don’t want that hive raiding my friendly hive.
I will try to winter them, but come spring that queen will be gone, whether she dies over winter, I buy a queen or I make one in a NUC from the friendly hive is to be determined.
I can’t believe I have to put a bee suit on to just move the frame and put the cover on.
1. when properly motivated an old fat man can run the 100yard dash
2. A bee can provide said motivation
3. opening a hive lid when it’s 40 degrees and rainy outside does not insure one against a mean “b” bee
4. a bee that chases A person over 200 ft is intent on inflicting pain before it dies.
5. the jeweled Queen’s granddaughters are all mean. Her daughter must die.
6. the other hive is very docile.
7. bee
I decided to open the lid and see how the sugar water I gave the bees was doing. I was outside, it’s cold wet and miserable. I figured just lifting the lid and taking a quick peek would be safe.
I was 50% correct.
I was worried the feeder in the docile hive might leak, so I opened the lid. I found I made an error. The hole in the sub cover was being blocked so no bees could go up and down from the hive to the feeder.
The feeder itself was doing great. There were maybe 25 bees trapped in the feeder super. I found a small stick reached in and slid the frame a tad making a good 3/8 plus hole for the bees. They immediately came through it and crawled to the feeder. No bees flew at all.
Nice bees..
I should mention the weight of the feeder pushed the inner lid down on the frame so there was no crawl space. I use a spacer to set the distance in the honey supers, so I have 9 frames in a 10 frame box. I now know by doing this the frame blocks the hole in the lid completely.
I decided I should look in the other hive to see if it happened there too. It did.
I was just looking, had barely opened the lid, I did not reach in at all, when 4 million bees came rushing out in an aerial assault formation.
My neurons fired fast enough to tell me to get the_____ out of there. My legs that have refused to run for 20 years took over and ran.
There was a persistent buzzing right behind me. My legs ran faster. I thought when I cleared the orchard fence which is over 100 ft from the bees I would be safe.
The buzzing told me I should run another 100 feet for good luck. At the end of the second 100 ft the buzzing was less. However, it was not done. At about the 100 yard mark I slowed down. The bee did not. She got me. Only 1 stayed for the whole 300ft.
That is one too many. My neck is throbbing. I am going to suit up and go move that frame, only because I don’t want that hive raiding my friendly hive.
I will try to winter them, but come spring that queen will be gone, whether she dies over winter, I buy a queen or I make one in a NUC from the friendly hive is to be determined.
I can’t believe I have to put a bee suit on to just move the frame and put the cover on.
(They are supposed to stay below the mason dixon line.
