Bees.

I believe the bees are enjoying their new homes. These photos by our friend Ashley Rose are of the installation of 2 packages of bees back on Monday April 4.

I started with gloves and rubberbanded trousers and sleeves. Ended up keeping the rubberbands on but ditching the gloves since they were cumbersome.

the package of bees come with a feeder (a can full of sugar syrup that the bees access through tiny holes punched in the lid) that we removed. Then, the bees can be dumped gently into the hive or the whole box can be placed in the hive and they can exit on their own. I chose the gentle dump for various reasons.

We are using frames without foundation (wax or plastic base). The bees build directly on the wooden comb guides along the top bars of the frames. We leveled the hives on the pallet since the bees build with gravity in mind. Some people melt beeswax and paint a bit on to entice them to build on the guides. I didn't use it and they knew exactly what to do and where to build.

There she is in my left hand, the lovely queen in her little box.

Our tiny beeyard.

Taking a moment and collecting myself.

I placed my own inverted pail feeders

over the clusters of bees so they would have syrup

to make wax with until the nectar really starts coming in.

Empty hive bodies went around the pails and the covers on top.