Saturday, September 24, 2011

OK, the Blogspot page has changed and it has taken me a long while to get this far. IF you are reading this then I did something correct  --  which may be the only time so far today. I needed to check my bee hives as I have been gone so much lately. I had previously checked the Redbud hive and all is not well. Today I had hoped to check two more.
Wrong!
I started on the east hive because I just felt "something" about that hive. Man was I ever surprised. They came out in droves and attacked and attacked and kept on for a very long while. Instead of calming them, as I have been told, have read, and was taught, the smoke seemed to excite them to a frantic level.
Being attacked by thousands of angry females slowed down the whole process. Also the frames are not drawn out and I saw no larvae nor eggs in the top body. I did see five or six hive beetles which probably means I have an infestation.
The beetles were in a frame of just wax with some cells. They ran quickly and I couldn't get them without destroying the frame. I probably should have done that.
Finally I got down into the lower hive body which, I believe, is called the brood chamber.  I saw one larvae and no eggs and no honey. Oh, there was a tiny amount of honey in the upper body. So, I suppose i should start feeding again as it looks as though they are not bring in food. I did see bees with pollen.
When I finally got through with my amateurish inspection, I put everything back together and they still attacked me. More than a dozen stayed with me for a very long time. I even went as far as the shed and they came in there. That is when I started killing the little ... bugs. When I got them dow to two or three i went back over and sat on the patio.
Another group came and joined the two that had followed me that far. I started killing again and now there are many dead bee bodies on the patio rug.
I finally got inside and had lunch. Wow, what a morning.
Later I went back out to put on my boots again so I could continue work on setting new fence posts. That immediately drew a crowd of bees who immediately began trying to attack me. I walked off and they only followed about half way to the fence.
I got one post set with concrete and the other is 85% ready. I can take the post hole diggers home tomorrow. I am not sure this will completely fix the problem but I cannot afford a new fence.
No, I did not check any other hive. I hope to do that on Sunday.
Maybe I could take up mall walking again.


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