[Kate and her Ducks]

I am having a wonderful (if a bit frantic) day.

Like many beekeepers I had a dreadful year last year and I lost all 3 of my colonies over last winter and this spring. It was very sad looking at all the wonderful blossom in the orchard in our new house with no bees.

I ordered a nuc from a local company that breeds bees and was informed that due to the very cold late spring they were 6 weeks behind a normal year and it wouldn't be till the end of June or beginning of July that they would be ready to collect.

On Tuesday I got the call that I could pick them up today so went down to do the final checks and make sure the hive was ready and everything set up for the new arrivals to find we have squatters!!!

We seem to have a swarm of bees already in the hive I had prepared which is very exciting if a bit frantic as I now have to set up a new hive for the others! They weren't there yesterday! Will look through them and make sure they are settling in when I bring the others back.

What a lovely day!

[ANHBUC]

They must have known you had a lovely des res ready and unoccupied.  I hope they settle in well.   

[joyfull]

woohoo these are the sort of squatters that are most welcome 

[snowdrops]

What wonderful luck for you Kate,maybee-see what I did- they didn't want the new ones to be on there own

[Trillium]

Luck was certainly shining on you, Kate. Everyone loves these kind of squatters 

[Kate and her Ducks]

Bother.

Just looked through them and they seem to be just moving through. There is a tiny bit of stores left on one of the frames and think they are just there to rob them out but still means there are bees near by so maybe they can be tempted in.

At least I have my lovely new bees. Transferred them into their new hive and they were as good as gold and lovely and quiet. The queen is marked with quite a spectacularly trashy fuscia pink colour and looks no better than she ought to be! Think she will have to have a more suitable name than Elizabeth or Victoria which were what my first queens were called!

[Sparkyrog]

Anne perhaps it has history ? 

[mumofstig]

more like a Queen Jezebel 

[Sparkyrog]

Katherine , Margaret and Eleanor also have history 

[Chrysalis]

I'd go for Queen Latifah 

[ANHBUC]

Bother.

Just looked through them and they seem to be just moving through. There is a tiny bit of stores left on one of the frames and think they are just there to rob them out but still means there are bees near by so maybe they can be tempted in.

At least I have my lovely new bees. Transferred them into their new hive and they were as good as gold and lovely and quiet. The queen is marked with quite a spectacularly trashy fuscia pink colour and looks no better than she ought to be! Think she will have to have a more suitable name than Elizabeth or Victoria which were what my first queens were called!

She sounds like Queen Lily to me.   

[Yorkie]

Or perhaps Dame Edna?

[Kate and her Ducks]

I think I should really become a fully paid up member of the Bad Beekeepers Club.

Earlier last week I noticed that a lot of bees were coming in and out of the stable where I keep my bee and hive stuff that is not in use and discovered that they were going in and out of a stack of unused supers I has put in the corner. A few of the supers had had some frames of honey that had crystallised as I hadn't go round to extracting as never got enough and had planned to feed back to the bees but they hadn't survived. I had covered them so they were secure but the lid had been knocked and there was a gap they were using to get in.

Bother, thinks I, will have to cover them up so I can feed that to my own bees. Better wait until dark or first thing in the morning when they are all back at their own homes so I don't trap them inside. And then I proceed to forget every morning in the rush. Remember when I get home in the evening and see them flying in and out and then prompt forget again in the evening.

So last night as I put the ducks away it pops into my head so off I go to make it secure. Only as i stand there I can hear the gentle hum of bees fanning their hive and can see them through the little gap at the top!
Funny, I think. I don't think bees ever camp out and not go home for the night. So I try to lift a corner a little to peep inside and discover they have firmly stuck the board that was covering the top down. Hmmm. I don't think Bees make comb or wax in a hive they are just visiting to rob out!

Trying not to get too excited like last time I had a look in this morning. WOW there is a lot of bees in there and in just a week they have done so much. Unfortunately the supers did not all have frames in and there were gaps all over the place that they had filled with brace comb and really an amazing amount given they haven't been there that long. I managed to tidy them into 2 neat supers without gaps and build a proper hive round them with a floor, crown board, roof etc and they were incredibly gentle given how much disruption I caused no matter how careful I tried to be. Didn't see the queen or any eggs but the light isn't great in the stables and there was a lot of bees! Hopefully she is there and will get to laying soon and I haven't caused too much damage. Once they are settled I will start edging them gradually outside.

To all experienced Beekeepers, I'm sorry if I am bringing the calling into disrepute and I promise I have learnt many lessons from this! To all new or prospective beekeepers please learn from my mistakes. Never leave frames etc hanging about, always tidy up and secure things properly, always have a back up plan and never assume bees will do what you expect, they haven't read the same books as you!

[BobE]

That is wonderfull, I am very impressed that you could do that.

[ANHBUC]

Well done Kate, the bees won't be bothered that you are a novice.  They have a new home and that is all they will care about.