If you want to gather honey, don't kick over the beehive.

Its been awhile since I posted about the bee's. But then again, its been awhile since I've checked them.


While out in the garden this morning, energy drink in hand, looking at all the weeds and how well they were doing, I heard a buzz.

I had planted radishes pretty early this year and they were ready for harvest before we were ready to consume them.  Instead of pulling them out and allowing weeds to grow in their place, I left them alone to see what would happen.  One by one they grew about 2 and a half feet tall with pretty little white, button flowers popping on out.  If anyone were to ask what I had growing right there I would, without blinking, answer- "an experiment."  Well- it seems it became something more.

Hearing the buzz I investigating (bent over and looked) and saw tons (about a 30) bee's covering these little white flowers!  I was honored.  You see- bee's travel a  five mile radius to obtain nectar.  I had planted courtesy lavendar and other such flowers around our yard in case the gals didn't feel like traveling that day, but they had yet to take advantage of them.  I figured they had found a better source of nectar and tried hard not to be insulted by their better choice.  Yet- today- radish flowers seemed to have been all the rage!

I admit, I'm not earthy crunchy, although I like to think I am. I don't have a dire fondness to granola and soybeans, but I do like to be barefoot. I wear far to much makeup and have a love an intense love of aresol hairspray but one can pretend to be earthy right? Well anyways- this was one of those moments.....
I went back to the house and grabbed a hoe. Garden hoe folks. And got to weeding. Along side me was my fly honies eating the nectar of the very plant that I planted, only to take that back to the hive and make honey with it.  I was pretty wrapped up in this thought when a slap of reality kicked in- The bee's are probably obligated to do some charity work. Eating radish nectar in their very own yard was just filling their charity quota:) So I did what I'm good at, and ignored the reality check and went back into my earthy crunchy moment of working along side my bee's.  It was blissful.


Here they are busy at work.

I got the nuc about two weeks ago.  The first hive (The Buckfast) were busy working and building up comb.  I had put their second super on just before I got the nuc, and they were quietly investigating those new, ten empty frames. They were working slow and steady and had proved to be a sweet, mild bunch.  I assumed that the nuc would be comparable. When I got the nuc I have to admit that they were a little more "moody," to say the least compared to my Buckfast.  This nuc was full of Carniolans, which are known for their sweet temperment, and ability to propolize just about anything. But when I got them I noticed their mood was a little less than sweet.   Thats ok- we can't all be sweet right?

Now I had to give the girls a chance- they were just moved fives miles away, had their only home they've known torn apart, got shaken into this big empty home, and lost some of their homegirls along the way.  They had a right to be a little tiffed, right?  But the second time I checked on them I noticed they were still holding a grudge and so I figured that this grudge would be my lot with those girls.  A week after getting them I added the second super because of a rapid growth and hard work on their part. (You add supers as you see the bee's colony expanding.  Much like you add an addition onto your house if you find out one day you are preggers with a litter of kids and live in a one bed, one bath house.) And since adding the second super- I have left them alone.

Since the weather was more agreeable today I decided to give them a look-see.  I wasn't going into the hive with a mission (please don't tell any other beekeeper that) and I was going to remove any empty feed jars so the gals weren't eating old syrup.

I went after my Buckfast first, and was pleasantly surprised to see one frame of capped honey, thick and heavy on the second super.  I removed the empty jars and had a few "scouts," zooming around my face. Usually when you get these scouts showing this kind of behavior, its the bee's telling you- "hey, what the crap are you doing here again?" You try to ignore it and make your visit brisk.  The longer you stayed the more annoyed the scouts seem to get. I had also noticed that these girls propolized just about everything. And not a little here and there- but alot everywhere. Curious- these Buckfast are known for low propolis....hmmm. So a little moody and bee glue everywhere.....

I worked up my nerves and went over to the Carniolans.  All two feet away they were quietly buzzing in and out - with a perfect beeline straight up and out over the lawn.  I smoked their entrance, and was ready to battle their bee glue and tude when lo and behold- neither were present!  These gals had been hard at work building up four frames in their second super!  Propolis was at a minimal, and their grudge seemed to have been dismissed!  I studied them for a bit and they were quiet, docile and very loving to one another. Alot of nectar exchanges happening, and their little heads going into the comb to store away honey.  I can now understand why beekeepers prefer getting a nuc in the springtime for fast build- up of the colony and strong honey stores.  Although, I am rooting my Buckfast along, these Carniolans seem to be gaining speed.

The pics aren't the best but hopefully my description is helpful.

Some onlookers while I light the smoker.

I'm pretty sure they are laughing- I'm not good at lighting a smoker.

SweetBabyBuckfast!  Capped honey within,  I promise.

The Carniolans- four frames full!

"She works hard for the honey!"

XO's- exchange of nectar. Notice the gold honeycomb? The Carniolans make a dark beautiful comb.

Buckfast on right

The Carniolans