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!