Close call today

[Acebird]

Today was the day that the sign people do their tree trimming.  It was more involved than just trimming.  There plan it to replace the static sign with a digital so that changes some requirements for line of sight.
Anyway they brought this humongous power boom in.  It has a 125 foot reach.  The quad base has telescoping wheels which brings the wheel base out to about 15-18 ft.  My gate is only 9 ft so down comes the fence.  It doesn't maneuver worth a dang on wet soil.  This is right in front of my beehives.  With all the safety interlocks that prevent the thing from moving the guy came in to low and clipped the top of my tall bee hive.  My heart almost stopped.  He was going to lift the bucket and I told him to stop and just back up.  It settled back on the pallet.  Man oh man, what was going through my mind.  Thank God the boxes stuck together and didn't break apart.  I ran back to the hive and put the cover back on straight while the bees were coming out the entrance.  Then I got out of there.  I still wasn't sure they weren't going to come out in a swarm.  I only have one inspection jacket and there were two men in the bucket.  But I didn't expect them to run into the hive.
It was early in the morning when they started so no bees were at the entrance.  I told them there is a lot of bees in those hives so be careful.  They didn't see any at the time so I think they thought I was bluffing.  When they tipped that hive they found out.

[herbhome]

That's what I call a pucker moment. Glad it all worked out

[tycrnp]

That's the power of propolis!  Haha...they will learn. 

[Acebird]

That's what I call a pucker moment.

Trust me it was tighter than a ducks ass.

[Hops Brewster]

Good catch, Ace!

[Fishing-Nut]

What was the puckering about? Because of potentially wrecking a hive, or more for the guys possibly getting lit up by the bees? I would imagine it was a little of both. Glad it worked out though. I know the bees can get pretty upset when they get rattled around. I accidentally dropped a frame one time and they let me know how much they appreciated me doing that 

[bwallace23350]

Lucky them. That could have been bad. Glad all worked out ok

[Acebird]

Good catch, Ace!

Yeah there were times when I wasn't watching.  I have been around enough equipment to know that when someone is having trouble operating it they get frustrated and their attention slips on what they are doing.  It has happened to me.

[Acebird]

What was the puckering about?

When someone doesn't realize the danger they are in it usually works out worse for them.  I have never been lit up and the last thing I would want is to be trapped in a cage with 10,000 bees stinging the heck out of me.  Even if they managed to jump out they were fenced in by the machine and two fences at right angles.  The apparent escape route was covered with 3/4 dia stalks of black berry canes that will rip your shirt right off.  Only other route would have been right past the tipped over hive.

Why was I puckering?  I thought they were going to die.  It is doubtful the hive would have been wrecked.  Might have lost the bees and honey.  It is hard to say medium frames are pretty strong.  It was cool.  They weren't flying so I suspect the bees were congregated in the bottom brood boxes.  Doubtful that comb would break.