Last minute details ... but no bees

Well the bees we ordered were supposed to be picked up in New Mexico last weekend, and assuming the guy wouldn't want them hanging around much, I expected to get them on Monday or so. So Mike and I busily finished the last minute details to get ready for the bees.

We have bought the clothing, hats and gloves. We are going to tape our pantlegs shut and tuck in our shirts and try to get by with that. Seems most experienced beekeepers quickly shed the gloves, and not too long later the hat, but for our own comfort we got the hats and gloves, and we'll start out that way. Besides, I'm sure they will be handy to have around when guests come, etc.

Cute huh?

We also will not be using a smoker. When you smoke bees they react in a panic mode of gorging themselves on honey, to prepare for what might be a forest fire and drive them from their home. This was they will be full enough to get to a new home, since it might be a while before they are able to forage for food again. Bees that are engorged with honey are more lethargic, and not as protective of the hive. This is why people use smoke to "sedate" the bees when they work the hive. Well the smoke is not particularly healthy for the bees, neither is gorging themselves with honey on a regular basis. So we are going to try to go smokeless. We have read that if you move slowly and deliberately, no swatting, you will not get stung. We have also read that after a few stings you build an immunity and they will not effect you anymore. And finally if you tend to your bees in the early morning or evening they are more docile. Well, we will give er a try! Let you know how it goes.

And then finally we agreed on a spot on the property for our hive, and put the base out and level. We painted the top bars with beeswax (this helps them identify the hive as a good home, previously used by bees, and helps them start building comb on the top bars guiding them straight in the middle.) We bought a mason jar to make a feeder out of and made our sugar solution to feed them. We bought a sprayer bottle to fill with sugar solution to spray in the hive when installing the bees. We also bought a hive tool, a small crowbar like tool to help pry off the top bars when harvesting. We are ready to go!

So called the guy at dinnertime to see when he wanted to come out.. but he said he hadn't gone to New Mexico, the bees were not ready, and it would be at least June 1st before he got them :-(. I was bummed, but at least we are ready.