20 May 2012 The 'Big Day' has
arrived. All the preparation done: hives bought in kit form and built, lessons
attended, books and websites read.
Practical workshop
today at Thornes near Lincoln and they very kindly let us pick our
bees up at the same time. Felt slightly nervy on the drive back, with
a few thousand bees strapped into the back seat but thankfully only
one was loose. Only one, she says, which unfortunately we had to let
out of the window after about 40 miles as it became too interested in
me, the driver!
We placed the nuc on
the hive stand and left it until evening. We then transferred the 6
frame nucleus which was very full of bees, into the hive. Our smoker
went out almost immediately but because of the practical we had had
earlier, when we had the same problem, having inspected so many
hives, we were confident enough to go ahead. The bees seemed very
calm which added to our confidence. We thought we spotted the queen,
unmarked, but couldn't be absolutely certain and we couldn't hang
around as the priority was to get them into the hive. Five new frames
of foundation were added and a gallon of syrup in a contact feeder.
When making the feeder
up it would have been useful to know that when you turn it over the
syrup pours out. We thought the feeder was leaking but it actually
stops very quickly and some of
the syrup running into the hive doesn't do it any harm, as it tells
the bees that there is food for them.
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