Well it has been more than one month since my honey bees were delivered and all seems well. They are still pulling in the sugar water I am providing and are using it to substantially build comb upon the new foundation. The brood cluster is as dense as as can be indicating a queen of good breeding and high moral character.
I will soon begin rotating frames from the outer edge of the brood box into the center region of the cluster to start filling out their foundation.
The first few weeks of working with these bees seemed like a dream come true. I felt like the Monty Roberts of beekeeping. I could work without wearing gloves and the bees seemed to read my mind, moving out of my way when I needed to lift or replace a frame. This is easy!!
By week three or four my 10,000 pacific daughters of virtue turned into Brazilian Amazon she-bees. Coincidentally this seemed to be synchronous with the first set of new adult bees emerging from their cells. Even with a gentle waft of smoke into their hive entrance and the surgeon like care of removing the frames during inspection the bees seem to go on the attack. Brazilian style. After completing work with one hive I would have to take a walk and lose some of the warriors through the three foot high grass surrounding my cleared mowing area. I would have to walk about 150 yards before the last honeybee was sure I was done meddling with her home.
She-Bees of the Amazon
Then it would happen again with the next batch.
I know I can be somewhat ham-fisted when I work but this seems ridiculous. At this rate, the bees are going to become sentient by August and deflate the air out of my tires to fly in through the vents to kill me before I can even don on my protective clothing or drive away.
These bees are touted by BeeWeaver as being hardy and able to survive mites and disease without treatments. Maybe this hardiness also comes in the form of angry bees who get pissed off at the drop of a hive tool. Hopefully they will grow to learn I am their friend and advocate.
One of the nice hippie ladies who is working on a massive garden in front of the hive said there was a report of bears in the area. Maybe they are coming up to the hive but I have detected no sign of damage or stepped in any bear poo. Maybe this has caused my girls to become a little anxious.
My new bee friend working with me has had less success with one of his hives. After 3-4 weeks of nice looking brood patterns the queen just seemed to stop laying. So he ordered a new queen and we found the old one and “replaced” her. Only during the next few days will we learn if the succession was a success.
His bees are sweet angels compared to mine. He often works barehanded and they don’t seem to mind one bit.
Well for now that is all to report. I will try to write more frequently. I am just surprised how busy summer can be.
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