New beekeeper has her piggin bees! YAY!

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New beekeeper has her piggin bees! YAY!
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Mrs Baggins

Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Posts: 837
Location: West Kent

Posted: Sun Apr 26, 09 7:43 pm Post subject:
Oh forgot to say that having got thru the entire course and about to leave and go home; I got stung for the first time in my life while sitting in a chair away from the entrance to the apiary. One got in my hair and stung my finger as I got it out. Don't know what all the fuss is about. Didn't hurt as much as a stinging nettle. Can't even remember which finger got stung!

arvo

Joined: 04 Dec 2006
Posts: 3321
Location: Somerset

Posted: Sun Apr 26, 09 8:41 pm Post subject:

I'd had years as a 'buzzy-insect-phobe' after having been stung as a child, so I was terrified about being stung.

But after having had a couple of nips off them since keeping them it really doesn't bother me anymore. As you say, mostly a fuss about nothing. (Do be aware the next time you get stung though, as the very, very small chance of having an allergic reaction would be from the second time around.)

Mrs Baggins

Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Posts: 837
Location: West Kent

Posted: Mon Apr 27, 09 2:14 pm Post subject:
Arvo - Don't! That would be just my luck! Go all the way thru the course... buy All the stuff... get ALL excited... and then have full on Anyphyllaxus (sp?) on my second sting... How bad would that be? I would cry real, wet tears so I would...

arvo

Joined: 04 Dec 2006
Posts: 3321
Location: Somerset

Posted: Mon Apr 27, 09 5:30 pm Post subject:

Mrs Baggins wrote:

Arvo - Don't! That would be just my luck! Go all the way thru the course... buy All the stuff... get ALL excited... and then have full on Anyphyllaxus (sp?) on my second sting...

How bad would that be? I would cry real, wet tears so I would...

There's a preventative treatment for it now, bit like hayfever, so I believe. I suspect it wouldn't put you off your stride for long!

I really hope you find a swarm or a nuc soon.

Good luck

Arvo

Mrs Baggins

Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Posts: 837
Location: West Kent

Posted: Fri May 01, 09 1:07 pm Post subject:

Well Arvo... you can wish me luck anytime you like 'cos you are a charm!

I GOT MY HIVES! Well... only the brood chambers (can you believe this??) and one of them has loads wrong with it (sigh) BUT one is just fine and I can get going with that.

SO...

that was yesterday I went and picked those up. Went out to toddler group with the kids this morning and got home to a ringing phone.

I GOT A SWARM!

Oohhhhhh.... RAPTURE!

So now I have one brood box (sans crown board) one swarm, one duff brood chamber which need to get sorted out, no crown boards, no supers, but two roofs and some very nice queen excluders.

My advice to anyone starting up is never to order your hives thru your doddery old fart of a tutor who is obviously incapable of organising a piss up in a brewery and go to the supplier yourself!

But I am on my way. I am so happy. I AM A BEEKEEPER!

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Fri May 01, 09 1:15 pm Post subject:
Good news!

RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Fri May 01, 09 1:20 pm Post subject:
Swams already? I best get onto the local bloke & get on the list. What did yours cost? Richard

joanne

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7100
Location: Morecambe, Lancashire

Posted: Fri May 01, 09 1:22 pm Post subject:
Congratulations and welcome to the club

TheGrange

Joined: 12 Apr 2009
Posts: 874

Posted: Fri May 01, 09 1:57 pm Post subject:
oh brilliant - well done you .. good luck with them ... i'm still waiting lol

arvo

Joined: 04 Dec 2006
Posts: 3321
Location: Somerset

Posted: Fri May 01, 09 4:09 pm Post subject:
Have you played 'find the lady' yet?

Mrs Baggins

Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Posts: 837
Location: West Kent

Posted: Fri May 01, 09 6:57 pm Post subject:

Thx everyone. Just got back from collecting my swarm... I have done as I have been advised; I have them in the stables (cool, dark) and I have opened them up so they don't suffocate to death. Tonight I will make my frames and treat the outside of the hives and then pray that they are still in their box come tomorrow when I want to shake them into my hive.

It's all go!

Just realised that I will need to feed them... not even got a super to stick on there to put the syrup in... panic panic... hope they are still there in the morning... argh!!!!

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Fri May 01, 09 6:58 pm Post subject:
Congratulations. Hope they like their new home. A piece of ply or hardboard or even MDF!! (spit) will do as a tempory crown board. I'm supering up mine this weekend. The hawthorn & the sycamore are just starting to flower here. Forecast is good for the weekend so time to do my first queen cell inspection as well.

Mrs Baggins

Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Posts: 837
Location: West Kent

Posted: Fri May 01, 09 7:21 pm Post subject:

A guy from my local group was kind enough to lend me a crown board and as I had no runners for my brood chamber, I bought some from him along with some of his special beehive preservation cocktail to paint the outside with.

Just realised that I have no gimp pins to pin the top inside bar of the frames.

Never trust a doddery old fart to order your hives for you. Never. It is not worth the trouble.

arvo

Joined: 04 Dec 2006
Posts: 3321
Location: Somerset

Posted: Fri May 01, 09 8:38 pm Post subject:

Careful with the feeding. I once tragically drowned half a hive of bees due to me being incapable of using a particular type of 'boxy-plonk-on-top-type' feeder. I'd go for a plastic lidded container with tiny holes in (or mesh covered hole in the bottom).

Don't panic too much. They're resilient little b*ggers on the most part. If you treat them and their home nicely (and it sounds like you're going to be a great bee Mum), then you've given yourself the best chance of them liking it enough to stay. All they want is a comfy, safe home. (and room to expand)

You'll be great. Have you found a 'bee yoda' yet? I reckon everyone needs a 'phone a friend' when random stuff happens.

Mrs R

Joined: 15 Aug 2008
Posts: 7202

Posted: Fri May 01, 09 8:47 pm Post subject:
you know what you need now? a great big pile of really ace bee books!

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