Bees on The Move

Today was our first warm day, it was in the 80s
I have been watching the bees like a hawk and
I did not notice any usual activity this morning.
I finished with the boys school early and decided
I could work with my scroll saw and make some
things. I was out busy cutting away when my
youngest son comes running in and says, " You
have to come look at the bees, there are millions
of them in the air." My heart fell into my shoes,
because I did not buy a replacement queen
this year. I have always thought something was
up with the queen but being a total novice at beekeeping,
was not ready to re-queen.

I went out there and the hive I guess had split. It was
in the cotton wood tree just behind the hive. This is
another thing to always have on hand, a spare hive.
I have been meaning to buy another but have not
got around to do it.

I knew I had a small super that I had not used. Really,
I must have been totally brain dead last year, I do not
remember that the super, does not have a bottom, or
a top because, it sits on the other hive.

So I tell my boys to get a board and we will improvise.
They go get a board so huge that it takes both of them to carry it.
I run and get my veil and the gloves, I do not even remember where
or even if we have a suit. My mind is blank on this part.

I break every rule of bee keeping, I am wearing dark pants, I am not clean
and I am not wearing protective clothing. I can't even find the brush
to brush them into the box. I run into the house and grab a new paint
brush I bought on Sunday for some crafts I am doing.

I get out to the bee hive and see the swarm in the tree, the bee box is sitting
on the giant piece of wood. The boys do not like bees nor have they had much ever
to do with the bees and they are not wearing protective clothing either. But like
troopers they are they hold the box up so nut-job Mom can brush the bees
in, which I do. Everything is going okay, until I get stung high up on my thigh.
I mean HIGH UP. I sort of jump, drop the board I am supposed to be holding
to brush the bees into the box. Then another bee thought that was a good idea
and I get stung on the other thigh, HIGH Up. I can't brush the bee off
and drop the board again. The boys are ever so quiet, and I look around
and they are covered in bees too. They aren't moving. I finally get
the rest of the bees in the box, and tell to boys to set it down very carefully.
They do and they back away. They didn't get stung thank goodness.
The new queen I am afraid, did not like being dropped, an inferior house,
or this nut for a bee keeper. They flew away. I may be out of the bee keeping
business for this year, I will get into the hive this weekend, after my stings
settle down.
Some days are just like that.