First Bee gear!

I got my first bee gear today. A wonderful man named John gave me 4 hive boxes plus tops, a bottom and queen extruder. All pretty old and well used but in good shape. Best of all free!

It was a long but beautiful drive out to his farm this morning. I had a nice chat with him before we loaded the gear into my truck and I headed back for home. A stop at a Home Depot for some paint and other oddments ended up being very startling. When I came back out about 20 minutes later my truck was surrounded by an ANGRY cloud of hornets. apparently one of the big hive boxes had a large nest in it that had warmed up enough sitting out in the sun in the back of the truck to realize they had been moved and they weren't happy. Neither was I. Neither was the Home Depot guy who didn't want them in his parking lot. Spraying $200 worth of bee gear with pesticide was not something I was willing to do.

A heavy gust of wind shoved the hornets to one side long enough I was able to get into the truck and slam the door unstung. I drove slowly over to the far side of the lot away from everything taking the hornet cloud with me. When traffic was clear and the wind in my favor I gunned it and took off leaving most of them far behind. After that I stopped every few minutes when I found and unpopulated spot to let more boil out of the nest then I'd zoom away leaving yet more lost and upset hornets in my wake. That took care to 95% of them. A friend with a bee suit was willing to meet me on the far side of his work yard and dump out the hive. I stayed safely in the truck while he stomped the nest to paste with great gusto. I owe him beer.

There was nothing to do but celebrate the gaining of a real hive by heading for the bee stuff store! ;-) Ruhl bee supply. I bought some foundation, not all I'll need, but enough to learn how to load a frame and a hive tool. I showed a remarkable amount of self control considering all the great stuff he has that I want!!!

At home I cleaned up and repainted the now hornetless hive boxes. Cleaning old crusty frames is time consuming and best done outside on the open lawn. A warning, do not reach down and pet a cat when your hands are covered with propolis. Also the frames seem to appeal to my dogs as chew toys so they will be stored up where they can't reach them. Right now I have ten frames cleaned and filled with fresh foundation. Only 30 more to go.

I don't have bees yet, but I've spent several hours sticky with old wax and propolis, even after a shower my hands still smell good. I must be getting closer to being a real bee keeper

A chicken house without chickens.

Bee hive without bees.

A pond without fish.

It's a long time until spring when all the holes will be filled.