Winter

Winter

Monday, September 20, 2010

Out of the Bee Business


Notice anything missing? Yep, the bee hive.
We are out of the bee hive business. Ever since the day
we robbed the bees, something odd was going on,
for a couple of weeks they were so mad that just
walking by was a...adventure. Then as time when
on each morning I noticed less and less activity.

Yesterday, I stood and I didn't see a single bee.
This morning we decided to look in the hive.
Every thing was gone, packed up and vanished.
Only thing is, they left everything put back in order.
The frames we had robbed that had been a mess when we
put them back. They were all cleaned up and put in shape.
But the deeper we got into the box we found no brood, no
honey and no bees.
Nothing. It was kind of weird because there had been so many bees
a month ago.

We took everything apart and put it on our " don't-
know-where-to-put-this-pile. I am a bit sad, but not
that sad. I am not going to get anymore bees I know that.
I learned so much, I hate being stung. The dog is allergic
to bees, my husband is allergic to bees. They were not
nice bees. I was afraid that my grand children would get
stung. I learned I won't just order whatever bees you have
on hand. I think I had some kind of hybrid killer bee type.
They never did settle down. Then when we robbed them,
they just packed up and moved.

I think the correct term is Bee Hive Collapse. There were no
dead bees every thing was gone. There was no foul brood or anything.
I think what is so strange in the second super that was full of honey two weeks ago it
was all gone as well. I guess it is the UFO of bee keeping.
I was telling my husband this morning, good, I am glad I am out
of the bee business, I might not be a farm girl anymore, maybe I will be
a beach girl, or a get your fingernails manicured girl, or a shopping full time
girl, I think I will always be a chicken girl. I don't know about gardening girl.
Pretty sick of that. But it is fall and I have a huge garden to pull out
and get ready... oops... I almost slipped... did you see that next year part.
I guess I will stay a Farm Girl. :)

Have a great Monday!

Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, for His wonderful works to the children of men!

(Psalm. 107:6)

12 comments:

Kim said...

That is funny how they just took off. No note, no thank you card for your hospitality, how rude! lol Reminds me of the kids on the playground "I don't like your rules so I'm taking my ball and going home".

Diana Ferguson said...

That's so interesting. I don't know too much about all this "bee" stuff.

Kessie said...

How weird! Where did they go, I wonder? Somebody else's tree or bushes?

Verde Farm said...

Wow--how strange. It's like you had renters and they just packed up and vanished in the night. The good news is, they left the place in order :) We are thinking of starting a bee hive in the spring. I am wondering now if this is the way to go or not. I am a bit nervous but we will see. PS-I say all farmgirls still deserve to be manicure/pedicure girls too :)
Amy at Verde Farm

Meg said...

That is so weird. I guess they really didn't like you taking their honey. Too bad, it sure is good honey. But that's ok because I was kind of afraid of them too.

myletterstoemily said...

oh good, because i was all ready to say,
"city girl to farm girl, over" (in my best
cb voice.)

sorry about the bees, but i'm glad you
won't have the threat of stings now.
i have heard of the bee swarms, where
they just leave.

it is usually caused by a casual comment.
"those darn bees!" or something like that. :)

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

Too funny..I had just showed my husband your bees this weekend...and now they are gone. Well you could have had the bee hive we found in our camper!!! UGH!
Isn't it funny that right about the time we are comfortable with the hat we are wearing God changes the hat?
Enjoy your new hat!!!

Julia said...

From one farm girl to another, I sympathize with you. Any farm work can be fun until you have to do it for an extended time and then it's called a chore.

My husband buys a case of honey from a local bee keeper every year. The bee keeper has the neatest set up. The hives are in his house, and the honey combs are visible when he pulls out a vertical sliding panels from a custom built gorgeous piece of furniture. The front of the piece looks like an expensive tall armoire but holds his honey which he can check by pulling the sliding panels. If I remember there is a pane of glass in between the combs and the panel. The bees comes into the hives by mean of a pipe from the outdoor. Now how neat is that? Just thought you may be interested to hear this. JB

Anonymous said...

I don't know anything about keeping bees, but that is just wild that they packed up and moved out! I'm glad you won't be getting stung anymore! I like your "don't-know-where-to-put-this" pile!!! We also have one of those!

Kim, one of the things on your list is one of my top things that I forgot to list - really cute dresses! I miss wearing dresses so much. As I gained weight they just did not hang right on me so I stopped wearing them years ago. When I get this weight off I am going to start wearing dresses all the time.

Dog Trot Farm said...

I find bee keeping to be so interesting, but quite a commitment. Might your bee's return? do they remain together? will they swarm someone else's hive? I'm sure you will find another hobby or perhaps animal to take their place, maybe a few more chickens?

Florence said...

Once a farm girl, always a farm girl I have always thought. My farming days started when I was very young, as my biological family were migrants, in that they traveled from farm to farm to harvest, so I think it is in my blood. As a teenager I went to live with a family that had a pear orchard, so you see it is always there. Yes it is a lot of work, but worth the reward when you step back and reap the benefits. Florence

Cotton Eyed Jo said...

I'm not sure if your hives had Colony Collapse or just hit the road! myletterstoemily was my favorite comment, as if the bees were just waiting for an excuse... lol

I've never thought of myself as any one type of girl, but if I had to choose between being a chicken girl or a bee girl, guess I'd choose chickens... ;)