The install

Wow! What a whirlwind of bee adventures I've had over the last 4 days. Since I last checked in I have installed my colony of bees, accidentally let my queen fly away, drove to Massachusetts, went on a night time queen install, Melissa (my wife) was stung on the lip, and my sting count is up to 9. This has been an out of the ordinary adventure to say the least.

So I think I will break up the last few days into a few chunks so I don’t ‘drone’ on about everything at once.

     

Saturday April 21, 2012. This was the day I was to pick up my bee package. I had it in mind, for some reason, that it was supposed to be Sunday. This led to a really hastened morning commute to South Hampton Mass. At about 11 AM I got a call from Nick the guy from the Boston Honey Company. He asked if I was planning on picking up my bees considering 12 was the cut off time. So I hightailed up 91. He called back and told me I can pick up my bees under an old flat top cart out on display out in front of the property. At this point I was happy that I would be getting them at all, so I was more then happy with a secret pick up spot. 

Awesome path

     

Melissa and I pulled up to this small farm stand on the side of the road. It looked like a place right out of 1950. There was big sign advertising honey for sale and an awesome secret garden looking path with a bunch of old hive bodies at the end with swarming bees. I grabbed my bee package, I had to clear off a couple of hitch hikers and I put the box in the backseat. We hiked home with A/C on for the ladies. On the way home I realized that getting my bees a day early has totally erased my previous worry about the weather. It was a beautiful afternoon. The sun was shining and it was nice and warm.

     

On the way home I was getting excited and anxious about the install. The bees were buzzing in the backseat and I was thinking about not all the things I’ve learned, but all the things I was uncertain about.

We went home and put all my gear in the pickup truck and took a ride out to acorn hill. All went rather according to plan. With a few exceptions. First, the stuff that went right: I removed the queen cage placed her in the center of the frames. Sprayed the bees with a bit of sugar syrup. I then poured all the bees on top on the hive frames. I brushed them into the hive and replaced the few frames I took out to make room. I put the feeder on top, filled it with sugar syrup and covered everything up and we left.

Melissa loving the bees

     

That story is true, however it has left out a few things that challenged me on my first install. First off my psychological state was not on point. I was in my pajama pants messing around on the guitar when I got the call to pick up the bees, so I was in a crazy rush in my head. Even though there was really no reason to be in fast forward I was feeling a lot of pressure. The first lesson I learned was about my attire. I wore a t-shirt and shorts. What was I thinking? I mean I have a veil and gloves, but come on. I was so off track that I didn't even think about it until I was stung the first time. I was stung 7 times that afternoon. All of which, I could tell you exactly why. The first was right on my thumb. When I took out the queen cage I had to return the lid to the package box. While doing so I squished a bee right in half. Almost immediately one of her friends exacted vengeance on the closest piece of flesh she could find. So I decided that was a good time to put my gloves on.

They are so ready

The second lesson of the day was a result of a careless streak. As I worked the bees and got things ready my adrenaline was moving at a pretty good pace. I had been stung once and I became a little careless in my movements. Which I have learned is a serious mistake. When I placed the feeder on top I didn't sweep the bees away from the top hive body. Which led to squishing some innocent bees. Which then led to me being stung multiple times on the back of my legs. I walked rather quickly away from the hive loudly cursing my new friends. I removed a few stingers, cursed myself for wearing shorts and went back to work. If there was an apex of frustration it was here. With some distance from the event I have changed my point of view a bit, I learned an awful lot in a short period of time. Experience is definitely the best teacher for me.

All of my bees were home and it was time to leave. We didn't leave the out yard until Melissa had a few moments of squealing and running away from a few bees who were head butting her. That was a fun sight for me, but she didn't like it too much.

I wheeled the wheel barrow back to the truck and went home. That afternoon I had a rather peaceful feeling. It was nice to know that things were done and the bee journey had officially begun. I think at this point I am real beekeeper.