When you get new bees there are mainly two new ways to get them. One is called a "nuc" which is short for nucleolus, the other is a package, which is about 3lbs of bees and a queen. I have always gone for the nucs because they seem easier to install and bees are more established. But in an effort to mix things up we went in a package this time. We got them from a local apiary called Busy Bee Apiaries in the chapel hill area. You know that place on 40 where you can see all the hives from the highway? thats the place.
Leviah giving the queen a whatfor
Six pounds of bees getting ready to go in the back of the subaru. its times like this that you hope you do get rear ended.
Getting the two new hive boxes ready. They will each get a new empty hive to start their happy home in.
once you are ready, you take the lid off and then shake the bees. well before you shake them if you spray them with sugar water, they are so busy eating the sugar water off each other that they don't mind the shaking.
Naomi giving a few of the bees a scooch so they don't get smooshed. Then you put the feeder on which is filled with sugar water to help them get started and you are all done.
Here is a video of naomi putting in the rest of the sugar water and getting the lid on.
5 comments:
that's the best commentary ever.
EVERY beekeeper needs some boots like those!
Thanks for sharing! My dad has done bees for several years, and I like to say I help, but really I only monetarily pitched in some gifted money toward the first hive. I've never been around to see how it all works, other than to watch them fly in and out. I loved getting a peek into it all. Hope your bees do great this year!
Wow.. that is very cool! I would have been a wee bit nervous having them in the back of my car though.... eek! ;)
Great post!
We are thinking about adding a beehive to our mix.
Have you read Farm City by Novella Carpenter? I think you would enjoy it.
~Emily
http://randomrecycling.blogspot.com/
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