3 Week Old Hive, 28' Up, & An Audience

JP · May 08, 2008, 11:10:05 PM

A perfect day, very breezy, man and his bucket truck toy, what more could a guy want? This colony was approx 3 weeks old, very, very docile, got the queen and was able to talk about bees and show about 4-5 people the queen being released into the new set up.

One guy's Dad had kept them yrs ago when he was 7. He and his girlfriend and three others were asking me questions about bees, and I was just loving every minute of it.

Apartment removals are cool because there always seems to be an audience. Everyone was so pleasant and happy cause the bees were being saved.

It was just a great day all around.

Pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/pyxicephalus/May82008

...JP

HAB · May 08, 2008, 11:43:45 PM

Man, that was fantastic! :)

Kathyp · May 09, 2008, 12:11:19 AM

i hope my apartment folks are as nice next week. at least on a weekday there shouldn't be to many people around. i am doing it on a balcony with access through an apartment. i think i'll have to rope lower the hive when i'm done. don't want to carry it through the apartment and strew bees about. guess most of my gear will go over the edge too :-). any suggestions??

HAB · May 09, 2008, 12:15:45 AM

Increase Insurance! :)

JP · May 09, 2008, 08:02:36 AM

Quote from: kathyp on May 09, 2008, 12:11:19 AM
i hope my apartment folks are as nice next week. at least on a weekday there shouldn't be to many people around. i am doing it on a balcony with access through an apartment. i think i'll have to rope lower the hive when i'm done. don't want to carry it through the apartment and strew bees about. guess most of my gear will go over the edge too :-). any suggestions??

How about some more details. You can pm me if you like Kathy.

...JP

Kathyp · May 09, 2008, 04:08:31 PM

i think i kind of have it figured out. the removal should be pretty straight forward. it's a second floor balcony in some lower income type apartments. the bees are between the false rock wall on the outside and some T-11 siding on the deck. the dead space is about 5 or 6 inches deep.

the problem is getting the bees off the balcony without going through the apartment. most of my gear i can pitch over the side. i'm thinking i'll rope lower the hive over and pray i don't drop the thing. also taking some bee quick to leave on paper towels in the space to discourage any stragglers. hopefully i can get most of them off me before i go out through the apartment. i WILL NOT climb off the balcony. i must keep some bit of dignity! :-D

HAB · May 09, 2008, 06:08:40 PM

"i WILL NOT climb off the balcony"

You had me worried. :lol:

JP · May 09, 2008, 08:33:42 PM

Quote from: kathyp on May 09, 2008, 04:08:31 PM
i think i kind of have it figured out. the removal should be pretty straight forward. it's a second floor balcony in some lower income type apartments. the bees are between the false rock wall on the outside and some T-11 siding on the deck. the dead space is about 5 or 6 inches deep.

the problem is getting the bees off the balcony without going through the apartment. most of my gear i can pitch over the side. i'm thinking i'll rope lower the hive over and pray i don't drop the thing. also taking some bee quick to leave on paper towels in the space to discourage any stragglers. hopefully i can get most of them off me before i go out through the apartment. i WILL NOT climb off the balcony. i must keep some bit of dignity! :-D

If its possible this is what I would do. Stay until dark, and seal the hive on the balcony, then just walk through.

...JP

Kathyp · May 09, 2008, 08:46:36 PM

i don't think i can do that, but what about taking my small shop vac and just sucking up all that i can before i leave? i should be able to get things pretty clean. they would die anyway.

JP · May 09, 2008, 08:52:13 PM

Quote from: kathyp on May 09, 2008, 08:46:36 PM
i don't think i can do that, but what about taking my small shop vac and just sucking up all that i can before i leave? i should be able to get things pretty clean. they would die anyway.

Your best bet would be to stay until dark, so you could get the majority of the bees in the box. Good for the bees and for the people. If you're worried about getting mugged after dark, ask for the manager to walk you to your vehicle when you're done.

...JP

Kathyp · May 09, 2008, 09:14:40 PM

mugged? that never even crossed my mind :-). i'm not very muggable.

we'll see how it goes. it's not that far away from my place. i could go back early in the morning. dark doesn't come until late here and it's going to be a warm day. better bet to go back at 6 am.

JP · May 10, 2008, 02:45:18 AM

Quote from: kathyp on May 09, 2008, 09:14:40 PM
mugged? that never even crossed my mind :-). i'm not very muggable.

we'll see how it goes. it's not that far away from my place. i could go back early in the morning. dark doesn't come until late here and it's going to be a warm day. better bet to go back at 6 am.

Ok, wrong guess, I just didn't quite understand why you couldn't leave after dark, after you sealed the hive up.

Hey, I bet you're really muggable, I'd mug ya! ;) :-D

...JP

...JP