And then there were five

Another hive added to the Lush apiary

There was a time when, in my innocence, I thought that keeping bees meant I would get a nice little hive, check it once a week just to make sure it was coasting along nicely, and then at the end of the summer, I’d harvest a nice load of honey and all would be well until the following spring.

Yeah, right.

Last Friday was supposed to be a normal inspection, although I had enlisted the help of my lovely mentor because I was hoping to identify a couple of new queens – one from the swarm we picked up the previous week, and one in the original hive, which we had split earlier in June.

Another beautiful queen

Well, Patrick had other ideas, and I now have five hives, including a beautiful big swarm from a rather disturbed old couple in a nearby village. Not only do I have a fifth hive, but the swarm has already, in just four days, drawn out 11 frames of comb and presented me with a beautiful new queen.

So the adventure began at lunchtime when, instead of looking through my hives, Patrick got a call asking him to collect said swarm. As we were about to start on mine, he offered to take me along, and said I could keep the swarm as well. So off we went and arrived to find a very anxious old man waiting to show us the offending bees.

All those bees, sitting in the apple tree

The swarm was indeed very big, and sitting in a lovely little apple tree neighbouring the local school playground.

I can’t take credit for getting the swarm out of the tree, or indeed, getting it into a hive back at mine, but it was fascinating to watch how one shake of the branch dropped the whole lot of bees into the swarm box (within 15 minutes any stragglers were contained as well).

Once back at mine, we set up a brood box with 11 frames of wired foundation, along with a floor and a crown board and I watched as Patrick tipped the box on to a sheet, and with a sharp shake, they all dropped out. With a bit of encouragement, they all marched nicely into their new home.

Of course, at that point we didn’t know if there was a queen (although it was highly likely) or what state the colony was in.

Another milestone

One of the best parts for me, as a novice, was the moment when I put my hands in the bees and got a handful crawling over me. It’s something that I’ve watched people do and wanted to do for ages but never had a) the opportunity, or b) the balls to do. But as I crouched next to the sheet of bees and watched as Patrick ushered them in, I just wanted a go myself. I wasn’t feeling particularly brave, but as I felt them all crawling over my hands, it felt almost euphoric. And suddenly I realised how warm they feel as well. Like, almost hot.

So yesterday I went back to have a look and see what’s happening in the hive and bingo! there she is, a beautiful queen, with several frames of drawn comb already filled with the honey the bees brought with them. And possibly some evidence of her getting ready to lay.

The next job will be to get her clipped so that she can’t fly away. Then maybe a super, so that her workers have got enough room to store all that lovely pollen they’re bringing in.

And maybe I’ll branch out and start collecting swarms as well. Nothing like running before you can walk!!!