It's all in a box...

Well it is interesting times here at our place, we were almost ready for the arrival of our new friends.... feeling a little nervous... excited too at the same time but the reality of 'actually' having bees was upon us.  We finished off our introductory course only a week ago and then attended the beekeepers meeting to put our name down for a 'swarm' thinking we have time well a month we were told that we would have to wait at least.  So on the weekend we decided we would go to see one of the members Bob Owen who runs Bob's Beekeeping Supplies in Eltham to buy our supplies and pack so we can make up our boxes 'supers' for brood and honey.  Saturday morning I also got a phone call from a member to say we had a swarm waiting! Yikes.

So supers, we brought 2 x 8 frame sets to make up. Nicely the frames with foundation comb were assembled so Mat put together the supers, base board and lid.  We quickly painted them Sat, Sun in two coats of outdoor acrylic paint (something light in colour we've been told) then get them ready to drop off to the member on Wednesday so he could house them, for a day/night and then let us have them on the Friday morning.

 All painted and ready to go.  Frames with foundations ready to go. 8 in each super - we will house them for now in the one, then add another once they start to really fill the bottom one up as they like to be cozy.

 Closer view of the foundations which the bees will fill out for brood and honey.
 
 Taken late in the day with only a few stragglers coming home.

Mat also put some sleepers together for the back corner of the block.  It is about 6m from the Veg patch and 3m to the Greenhouse.  We will have to finish this off with some screening on the fence and some pebbles.

So here we are... we wait a few more days before we can open the hive, meanwhile I am out there each day checking on the activity.  Lots of comings and goings with legs full of pollen and hopefully nectar. I hope too the queen is busy laying to replace those tired ladies who only live for 4-6 weeks.  We eagerly await to see what activity is going on.  I can't wait, I will def try and take some photos when we open the hive!  Oh and no stings .. yet... they are very civilised so far.

A few of many bee facts 
  • A beehive contains 10,000 to 60,000 bees
  • There is only one reproductive, the queen, in each hive and she lives up to 3-4 years
  • The queen can lay from 1500 to 3000 eggs per day
  • Man's first alcoholic beverage, Mead is a wine made with honey
  • All the bees in the hive are female except the drones
  • And the drones, the male bee make up about 1/4 of 1% of the hive population
  • They forage as far as 6kms from the hive
  • Most importanly bee pollination is vital to us and our planet.... they maintain the variety of fruits and crops we all enjoy!
 And on a less exciting note the potatoes are kicking along in the greenhouse, I can't fill those bags anymore so let them grow and flower!

Happy Potato Bags growing

4 comments:

Pandora Behr said...

Well done you - bees. Wow. Gotta say, as I'm allergic to the stings I don't think it's anything I'll do in a hurry - but hats off to you.

V's Fork to Fork said...

I am not sure how I will go but I am sure I'll be making note of my first sting! thanks for reading :)

River said...

So exciting!!
The potatoes are looking good too.

beewrangler said...

Beewrangler know how to control bees in a friendly way and show them their way to life and honey making.

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