We got our first bees today!

[Chicky2]

An 87 year old beekeeper who has over 50 years experience is our mentor. He brought out our first 2 colonies today! Here are some pics!

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ee%20colonies/

[1jooj]

Woo-hoo! Hope you LOVE them!

[AutumnW]

So exciting! We got our first colony last sunday and are enjoying watching them get comfortable in their new home. I posted about it on my blog yesterday if you want to read.

[Chicky2]

1jooj, gosh, I didn't get much done today between sitting quietly and watching the bees (there were a bunch of drones outside one hive-this one had a new queen installed today) and reading my bee book, lol. I think we will absolutely love them!

mariew, cool top bar hive. We have one back in the woods and we are going to work on getting wild bees (under the floor in our cabin) into it, or we may decide to wait until they swarm and try to catch them to put into it.

[sassafrass94]

Congratulations! Hope you have a long happy relationship with your new girls (and a couple boys)

[hildare]

hmm

if i start real soon, maybe some day i too can be an 87 year old beekeeper with 50 years experience though i kept them with my da, too, when i was a kid.

lucky you! you are going to love your bees!!!!! you sure are having a good late spring/early summer!

[1jooj]

OMG my niece and I just collected my first swarm. My dh has done it in the past, but he is out of the country. So niece and I suited up and hived the swarm. Then when I went to steal honey from another hive to feed the new colony, we both got stung. I got hit on the lip through the net, and in the armpit through the jacket. Cool thing is, neither sting even hurts an hour later.

Here's hoping the girls stay in their hive. It's getting close to sunset, so I am hopeful that they find the honey and make a home. I just really want this to succeed.

[Chicky2]

Oh, that is so cool, Jo! I want to hear how it goes. Did you see the queen?

[1jooj]

I think I did get a look at her as I was knocking them off the fence. But now I am a little concerned. A group of them has balled up under the hive. Don't know if she crawled back out or what, but I am hoping she has the sense to climb in, and that her attendants help her in. Otherwise, I may be suiting up and climbing in under there to see what's going on. Things are crazy busy here with my "real" job and end of school year and dh out of the country, so time is a major issue. I wish I could do it tomorrow while kids are in school, but yikes--I have to work.

Ugh, and the hive they cast from is super-defensive. I have a couple ladies dive-bombing heads in the yard. I need to swap out their supers, and I got stung right through my net and my jacket.

At least I might have a solution for unwanted visitors.