Hershell the bee wrangler

[WillsC]

Hershell bought a small house that was next to his property with the plan of remodeling it and renting it out. It is a major gut job as the place was let to go to pieces. He has been working on it when he can and he discovered a honey bee colony in the back wall. He of course did not want to kill them and he knew I wanted a hive or two so we hatched a plan. Hershell use to keep bees so knows what he is doing but had long ago sold or knowing him given away the equipment. I went online and bought a hive and starter supplies and had the stuff shipped to his house. He put the hive together and painted it then the fun began.

The first time they scooped the bees they all returned to the house, apparently they missed the queen so he tried again last night and this time they are staying in the box.

Thought some of you might enjoy the pictures though Hershell will have to explain the details.








Notice Hershell has the protective equipment and did not get stung..his hired hand he left unprotected and got stung 3 times......and he wonders why he can't keep employees

[Kelby]

Man, Hershell, is there anything you DON'T do? Impressive!

[Hershell]

Figure out when to say when. I love the chalenge or punishment apparently.

[SharonC]

Wow that look like a nice big hive. Good luck with it

[WillsC]

Second chapter......So tonight Hershell opens up the hive to check on the bees......he texts me while we are at dinner that the bees are gone......I figured he was just messing with me but......



Even though Hershell put comb in the new box that had brood in it they had left. He figured they were long gone but they looked around anyway and at the end of his driveway by the road......he spots them.



He got the hive, bent the small tree over the box and gave it one hard whack and all the bees fell in and now he knows he got the queen.






Now just have to wait and see if they stay in the box this time

[Inkfin]

Bee colony don't care of honey, brood or comb if there is no queen, they went where the queen was

[mountainfigs]

True friend there.

[WillsC]

I told him no good deed goes unpunished

[SharonC]

You guys are too funny. Good luck that really looks like a nice hive.

[Hershell]

I think I have bees that are dumber than ducks.

[Gina]

Maybe they can swim too.

[Inkfin]

I have to disagree with you Hershell, they are super-smart

[Hershell]

Smart? I put them in a new house and they left the next day! Ok. Your probably rite

[Charitup]

Way to go Hershell. Ducks ain't dumb they just focused. Eat Poop swim, Eat poop swim and repeat.

[Hershell]

They don't swim.

[Charitup]

Ha ha ha ha I got a good belly laugh out of that one

[Kelby]

Maybe you got mislabeled ducks? Start selling them as Hershell's NOT ducks.

[Dave]

Hershell your one tough dude, you couldn't get me near those bees with a 10ft pole! Figs and Honey what a nice combination.

[ako1974]

Good stuff, Wills and Hershell! I keep bees - I have 2/4 colonies left after this winter - both are booming with bees. I'm going to split one and possibly buy 2 more nucs. That's a pain you put in all the work to get them out of the house, then they swarm on you. We're in swarm season here, but I think both hives have enough room so they don't swarm. You never know though....

[Hershell]

Bees can bee a lot of trouble to keep healthy. That's why I gave in years ago ang got rid of my hives. I like having them and working them but the related problems is not for me. I'm a little impatient to say the least. These bees aparently were a early swarm this year but I saw another swarm earlier in the week but was unable to follow them.

[ako1974]

I've said the same thing to myself - they're a money sink post-Varroa, but I haven't pulled the trigger on quitting yet. Too much fun. I did say to myself: "If I ever lose all my colonies over the winter, I won't get new ones." We'll see....

[Gr8Figs]

Now just have to wait and see if they stay in the box this time

You might try using some lemongrass oil on a Q-tip in a small open ziplock bag to help keep them in the box.

I'm feeding this beehive in an empty hive box to discourage robbing from other beehives.

I split this beehive with the frame of bees into two hives yesterday.

[Hershell]

Nice! Thanks for showing us.

[Harborseal]

Next time, Hershell, please set up a video so we can see how you whack the tree so all the bees fall in.

[Sas]

This is cool! I would be interested in a sequel titled "Why did the bees leave the box?".

[Hershell]

To prove that I am NOT the bee wrangler!

[drphil69]

Interesting stuff! I'm surprised they didn't get you Hershell with your partially exposed arms.

[Hershell]

Normaly I don't wear gloves. When we're just look in to check on them I don't wear a veal eather. I almost said that I don't were anything but I'm afraid some would have took it the wrong way. I hope there's not a nude bee keeping day.

[drphil69]

Lol. Well Hershell, there are all kinds out there... I'm sure some brave (dumb?) nudists tried beekeeping at some point...

[Taverna78]

That would be painful day my friend. Great
job!

[Hershell]

No smoke, veil or gloves. They are calm so Wills can work them like this.

[drphil69]

Wow, very cool.

[Gr8Figs]

Looking good! Did you find the queen?

My Italian hive decided to swarm today. I had added another 10 deep frame box to my Italian hive on Thursday and split my fatbeeman hive. I was happy to have my cheap $10 jacket and veil from eBay when I jarred the swarm off my Seckel pear tree limb and into a hive box.

[cis4elk]

Kinda OT here, but how do you like the Seckel and do the bees work the flowers on it? I've heard bees are not attracted to pear blossoms.

[Gr8Figs]

I have only seen a handful of bees on my pear and apple trees.The Seckel pears are smaller than my Bartlett pears,but they are extremely sweet and soft when ripe.There is a little one in between the swarm and my hives.I grafted a Seckel to a wild pear tree a couple months ago and it is beginning to sprout some leaves.I plan on grafting more Seckel cuttings to a few other wild pear trees next year.

[Hershell]

Whow, Barry. You were lucky you found them.

[Gr8Figs]

I noticed that the Italian bees were acting peculiar when I walked past by the hives on the way back to the house. I got occupied taking photos of a Black Rat snake that caught a chipmunk and the hive had swarmed roughly 30 minutes since I first noticed a lot of bees on the front of the hive box. I was very fortunate that they didn't fly off or swarm on a high branch.I set a hive on a wheelbarrow,bent the pear branch down and gave the branch a hard bump and they dropped in the hive box.

[Bijan]

When you get stung, break off a leaf from one of your trees and immediately dab the area with the sap. The pain will go away.

[Hershell]

I took time today to find her.

[Inkfin]

Did you mark her with non-toxic paint? or expensive tag? so that it would be super easy to locate her next time, when and if you need to find her.

[Hershell]

I've never marked a queen but have saw some that was marked. To me it's like looking for the pork in porknbeans. Lol you know it's in there but just can't see it.

[rusty hooks]

That's a great teaching shot Hershell...well done

[Taverna78]

Wow!! You guys crazy!!! I get one bee sting and I'm
Caput! Swell like fat kid in candy store and off to hospital!