sharpy98
08-13-2009, 01:10 PM
Having had my hives for the best part of the year now I have gotten pretty comfortable working with my bees. I have one hive that is very docile and another that is not aggressive but a little hotter that the others if you will. The hotter hive is my first swarm I caught so they have a special place to me and they have grown into a very productive and populous hive. About 4-5 weeks ago I only had a single hive body on both hives and after an inspection I determined it was time to add a second deep hive body. Both hives were pretty mellow as I was not tearing them apart. Fast Forward to a week ago and in I went it to inspect the progress on the new frames as they were new frames with new foundation. I dawned all my protective gear, lit my smoker and in I went. The first hive I checked had drawn and filled about 7 frames and I thought this was pretty good. These girls were so nice, none even flew when I opened the hive they just kinda looked at me. Onto the second hive, opened that one and again though a little more flying around no taps or stings and I never even used my lit smoker sitting beside me.. "Ahh they just were cramped and needed space" I thought and now they mellowed with the additional space. Upon inspection I realized they had drawn out and filled all frames with honey. "Time to get some honey for me" I thought. Off I go acquiring a new super and some frames.
This brings us to last night I get home from work eager to get in the garage and assemble the frames and get that super on the hive. I run the house change into a pair of shorts and a tee shirt and off to the garage I go. I work feverishly to assemble the frames as my 3 daughters come in and out watching me. At last I am ready, I ask my oldest to go open the fence to the bee yard for me, she dashes away. I grab my jacket and gloves throw them on, look at the smoker and think " Ahh I should not need that I am just going to open the hive take off the cover and place this super and close it up." :D As I walk to the bee yard the other girls see me in my jacket and veil and start to follow. Upon enter the yard I tell them to back away a little before I open the hive (BEST IDEA ALL DAY). I set the super down and take off the top, all is good several ladies on the inner cover but no big deal. I grab my hive tool and break the left side (Buzzing sound grows) nobody files and all is well, crack open the right side and pull off inner cover. HOLY CRAP!!!! You would think I just set off a firecracker and kicked the hive. Bees come boiling out and I am right in their sites :eek: (Remember I had ran in and changed into shorts) :doh: . One sting, Two Stings, Three stings...I am out of here and heading for the gate, I hit the gate and number 4 hits me. After the gate I break out in a run for the house. My 3 girls are in the pool at this point laughing at pointing at my misfortune from the corner of my eye I see the neighbors rise from there porch swing. I can only assume to get a better view as they never breached their porch. I reach the house, hit the back porch and drop my shorts, number five and six drop their stingers in me! (They must have hitched a ride in my shorts). I run upstairs and put my pants back on, gather my thoughts and head back out to place the super and close the hive. I enter the bee yard better prepared this time and nobody does anything, I approach the hive and all the ladies just sit there, I place the super and nothing, replace inner cover and close hive still nothing. All calm little angles as well behaved as you could ever hope for. Now do not know if I have multiple personality bees or what but lesson learned DON"T GET IN A HURRY OR TAKE SHORT CUTS THEY MIGHT REALIZE IT MAKE YOU PAY! I am sure it is either this or they just wanted to give my kids and neighbors a fantastic show and a good laugh at me running around like a mad man. Anyway sorry for the long post but I thought it was a story worth sharing...
This brings us to last night I get home from work eager to get in the garage and assemble the frames and get that super on the hive. I run the house change into a pair of shorts and a tee shirt and off to the garage I go. I work feverishly to assemble the frames as my 3 daughters come in and out watching me. At last I am ready, I ask my oldest to go open the fence to the bee yard for me, she dashes away. I grab my jacket and gloves throw them on, look at the smoker and think " Ahh I should not need that I am just going to open the hive take off the cover and place this super and close it up." :D As I walk to the bee yard the other girls see me in my jacket and veil and start to follow. Upon enter the yard I tell them to back away a little before I open the hive (BEST IDEA ALL DAY). I set the super down and take off the top, all is good several ladies on the inner cover but no big deal. I grab my hive tool and break the left side (Buzzing sound grows) nobody files and all is well, crack open the right side and pull off inner cover. HOLY CRAP!!!! You would think I just set off a firecracker and kicked the hive. Bees come boiling out and I am right in their sites :eek: (Remember I had ran in and changed into shorts) :doh: . One sting, Two Stings, Three stings...I am out of here and heading for the gate, I hit the gate and number 4 hits me. After the gate I break out in a run for the house. My 3 girls are in the pool at this point laughing at pointing at my misfortune from the corner of my eye I see the neighbors rise from there porch swing. I can only assume to get a better view as they never breached their porch. I reach the house, hit the back porch and drop my shorts, number five and six drop their stingers in me! (They must have hitched a ride in my shorts). I run upstairs and put my pants back on, gather my thoughts and head back out to place the super and close the hive. I enter the bee yard better prepared this time and nobody does anything, I approach the hive and all the ladies just sit there, I place the super and nothing, replace inner cover and close hive still nothing. All calm little angles as well behaved as you could ever hope for. Now do not know if I have multiple personality bees or what but lesson learned DON"T GET IN A HURRY OR TAKE SHORT CUTS THEY MIGHT REALIZE IT MAKE YOU PAY! I am sure it is either this or they just wanted to give my kids and neighbors a fantastic show and a good laugh at me running around like a mad man. Anyway sorry for the long post but I thought it was a story worth sharing...