I went up on the roof to check on the bees today. I did it nervously, because one of the hives didn't appear to have any activity. Sure enough, it was empty -- empty of a queen, or any live bees. My $75-worth of bees had decided they didn't like the digs I provided, nor the conditions they were unceremoniously dumped into (quite literally) and they bailed on me.
As Stu said when I told him what happened, "Yeah, I figured we would have some expensive lessons this first year." Very true. Ruhl Bee Supply isn't taking any more package bee orders this year, so I was put on a (long, apparently) waiting list, in case someone flakes out on picking up their bees. Not super likely. I also got on their swarm list, meaning they'll call me to deal with swarms in the East Portland area. There are plenty of other bee keepers on the list, but maybe something will come my way.
The other hive is doing well. The first comb they developed, however, was in an unsustainable spot, so I had to snap it off and hope they'll start one on a top-bar like they're "supposed to." Harsh measures, but I'm assured that once they start building comb on the bars in the right direction, they'll continue to do so. You just have to keep an eye on them in the beginning to make sure they take your cue of pre-set beeswax in the top bars.
I'm going out soon, hopefully, with Glen Andresen to watch him gather a wild swarm. There is a huge demand for gathering swarms, and I intended to learn how to do that anyway, this event just pushed up my time table a bit. I had a third hive set aside for a wild swarm, now I just have two.
I cracked up when I found out that the official bee-keeping term for a queen and her workers bailing out on you was called "absconding." Same word as when criminals take off... too funny.
Enjoy your F.O.F.G.'s, even when they're costly,
Bp
[image Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2008 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.]
6 comments:
Packages can be tweaky which is why I start with Nucs, but that is harder when you have a top bar hive.
There seems to be a lot of people in the same situation this year. I heard five people at the Salem meeting say they lost all their bees from packages.
Ah HA! So it might not be that I'm a complete Newb (read: rube) hehe.
Wonder what's up with that.
I want to be a swarm guy anyway, it's part of the game that looks fun.
Thanks for the info sir.
you are a NOOOOOB and you know it....
hehe
Gah, mourning your absconding wanderers. May their honey taste like tar and may cellular waves accost them as a horseman thieving in the night. BEGONE I SAY! You stingeth my friend in his soul. etc.
Meanwhile, yellow and black tuxedos shake pollen manically in laughter from across the street, hoping to catch the bend of an eye with their poison. nay, their curse. *spits*
The Walla Walla contingent is doing fine, with the exception of the queen in one of the hives. It looks like she expired before the workers could eath through the marshmallow holding her in the queen cage. (Sounds like a fairy tale, doesn't it? The beautiful queen was help captive in a cage with a lock of marshmallow, which only her loyal subjects could unlock... .)
The queenless hive has shown no inclination to abscond (or bug out, if you prefer). I have a replacement queen on order whom I will install next week.
So sorry to hear of your unintended vacancies. We have a wonderful beekeeper fella near here who pollinates local orchards, etc., has wonderful sourwood AND wildflower/poplar honey. He travels all over renting out his bees and talking to folks about them, health, safety from microbes, bears etc.. If you'd like to talk with him about anything bee-related, he might give you more info: 434-263-5336.
He also grows mushrooms and sells shiatake mushroom logs--got another one Saturday-it's been soaked and is now plastic wrapped for 5 days and I'm eagerly awaiting my first crop next week.
Good luck to you AND Stu with the bees! Keep us updated, va momma
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