From A to Bee(53)

I was making quite good progress around the winding roads of Surrey until I heard a sudden pop and a hiss. I simply couldn't believe that in the midst of transporting several thousand bees, I was having my first ever tyre blowout. To make matters worse it was really heating up outside. Me and my several thousand passengers slowly rolled along, desperate to find somewhere to pull over.



I managed to pull in to a layby almost immediately in front of a couple of gentlemen in a lorry. I got out as these two giants of men clambered down from the cab to say 'O'wight mate, don't look too good does it?' Having agreed with them and said a quick hello I got out the spare replacement wheel, which is a sorry-looking thing half the size of a normal wheel and restricts you to travelling at the speed of a snail, while they inspected the problem. Seriously, these guys were huge, wearing wife-beater vests with muscles bulging and complete with tattoos on every inch of their body. They were very helpful, however, until I mentioned that I had to get the bees out, which is when their tone changed to one of concern. I got the bees out of the car as the two guys backed off a little ('I'm allergic,' I heard one of them explain to the other) and put them in the shade to cool down.



Alastair's closing comments were ringing in my head as I got on with the task of changing the tyre. The guys soon left as they realised that I would be OK. That feeling of satisfaction when I realised I knew what I was doing with the jack, being able to release the wheel nuts with the 'locking wheel nut' and getting the wheel off had a strange effect on me. With the precious cargo to my right buzzing away, it was a very masculine moment, one even greater than chopping wood or lighting a bonfire! Still, I cannot imagine what those guys will be saying down the pub this evening about helping some random bloke change a tyre complete with a hive of bees in the back seat.



Once the tyre was fixed, I got on my way and managed to make it home in one piece. Now came the first part of the plan I had concocted over the last twelve hours: the Beehaus move to the allotment. I removed the bees from the car again to give them some fresh air and placed them in the shade before looking at the Beehaus again. It looked heavy and awkward and sadly Jo had the larger estate car so I couldn't simply transport it up with that. However, I realised if I broke it down into two journeys it would be OK and so firstly I took the roof, balancing the supers on top. I went from what I call the African style, i.e. balancing it on my head, to bear-hugging it looking through the open-mesh floor on the bottom to aid direction. Either way, it was not easy and a black mark against the Beehaus but I'm sure not all moves are done at this level of haste.



I got it all set up and then did exactly as I was told. Thankfully, I didn't have to build all the frames immediately as I was told to put the nucleus on top of the newly set up Beehaus for a couple of days and let them out before moving them into the hive. The bee suit was on and I tentatively pulled out the bung to let the bees free. And nothing happened.



It was as if they were unsure, but about ten seconds later a little head popped out, quickly followed by another and then they streamed out into the big wide world. Lovely.



I shall pop up tomorrow to see them into the Beehaus proper, complete with the frames that I still have to build early tomorrow morning. What a lovely experience though, and despite being more expensive than a swarm, it's far more civilised in the way that you retrieve them, and it is also good to know your bees have come from a good home. Ultimately I suppose this is the most important aspect of buying a nucleus because you are buying them from a known source rather than just picking up someone's swarm from somewhere.



All in all I am pleased that I have now experienced both methods of obtaining bees; I only wish they had both been a little earlier so that I could really take advantage of a whole summer for them to make me some honey. I hope I am not too late.





JUNE 26



Good God, I am not sure I can recommend making frames at 6 a.m. in the morning. Usually I just about get away with digging holes or watering at this time of the morning as little can really go wrong. Using a small hammer is certainly not the best thing to be doing before the early morning coffee and my thumbs certainly know about it.



This weekend feels like quite an important one for my beekeeping career. Today will be the day that I introduce my girls to their new home and tomorrow will be the day that I introduce my traditional hive to the open-mesh floor that I have been stalling on transitioning to. And I may have to add a super on top as well, which is exciting.



Once the frame-building was out of the way to the delight of my thumbs, I got on with the rest of the day. I heeded Alastair's fine advice of leaving the bees till evening to deal with their big move. Therefore Sebastian and I went to play football together and we all then spent a very pleasurable afternoon basking in the unbelievable temperatures while seeing my old university friends for a barbecue. What a nice way to spend the day, knowing that later I was due to dabble in the unknown…