The bee era begins

So Betsy got it into her head to buy four pounds of bees and hike them up the hill in April. Four pounds of bees sounds very similar to what I'd imagine pure menace would sound like, or maybe packaged threat, so we were all armored up for the first few rounds of bee/human interaction. After awhile bee-anoia is replaced by experience and we both realized bees are a lot less grumpy in the morning when the temps are cooler. We had a cheap bee suit (Tyvek suit and duct-taped mosquito headnet) but it wasn't all that convenient to wear or move around in, so pretty soon we were sitting a few feet from the entrance of the hive unarmored with bees flying all around at their most active without a single one paying us any heed. Just watching them move in and out of the hive is entertainment enough and it helps get rid of that reaction most folks have to bees. I built a top-bar hive from scrap wood and roofing pieces and it seemed to work just fine.


We transferred the bees to the hive in April before they were able to fend for themselves, so the blue bag you can see was a plastic bag filled with sugar water that worked to tide the little fellers over until the spring bloom. Betsy and I both had to leave for a few weeks and were worried that the hive would collapse, but it turns out bees are pretty resilient and they did just fine without our messing with them. In our absence the bees had built six combs and made a little honey, and the incoming bees were packed full of pollen as the labrador tea and lupin were in full bloom all over the bench.

Moving slowly and keeping a calm demeanor seems to be the ticket for sting-free interaction, so that's what we do. Here the hive is open and not a bee in the hive seems to give a damn. These pictures were taken in the morning when the cooler temps kept them relaxed, it beats using a smoker or spraying sugar water all over. These are the perfect pets; they can be left alone for weeks and make delicious by-products on the side.

Honeycomb- I can't wait to eat it all up. We have a lot to learn but we know that it works for the Bench and we're planning to have at least one more hive next year, maybe two. If it works, it works.....

Not one sting between Betsy and I, not yet- it will happen though. I guess after a few years you gain a little immunity to the venom, but we'll see.

There's a lot of bees in there, but they could care less about us hanging around. In the early afternoon when it's warmer they are more active so may be more prone to anger. More updates will follow, but I'm hundreds of miles away right now. I'll be home to check on them some time in July.