- Joined
- Jan 1, 2018
- Messages
- 4,908
- Reaction score
- 4,733
- Location
- Fernhurst Sussex
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 40 plus 23 that I maintain for clients.
Let me tell you a story.
Earlier this week I was phoned but a rather well to do lady asking if I could supply some bees, it turns out they used to have bees in a WBC at their old house but they had died out during the winter and since moving to their new house they wanted to repopulate the hive.
I found out the beekeeper in the family was her son and he had been taught by a mentor.
I said that since the bees had died out they should sterilise the hive prior to installing bees. This completely flummoxed her as she said she would pay me if I would come and sort it.
Fast forward to last evening, I arrived at a local mansion to be greeted by an obnoxious 9/10yo boy who proceeded to tell me all about keeping bees.
His father accompanied us to the depths of their sprawling gardens to find a white WBC still with the frames in situ. It was obvious from the “heads in cells” that the demise was starvation so I told them they could use the best 5 frames and I would supply a 6 frame nuc for “a very modest”
price.
I said I would give the insides a quick scorch for them as they didn’t possess a blow torch so we dismantled the hive and headed back to my van to give it a blast.
So, you may ask what do I have to confess?
Well, when we first approached the hive at about 8.30pm I noticed a few bees buzzing around the outside, as we removed the roof there were several more on the frames so I would have put money on the arrival of a swarm within the next few days if I hadn’t insisted they break up the hive and scorch it.
Do I feel guilty? Nah
Earlier this week I was phoned but a rather well to do lady asking if I could supply some bees, it turns out they used to have bees in a WBC at their old house but they had died out during the winter and since moving to their new house they wanted to repopulate the hive.
I found out the beekeeper in the family was her son and he had been taught by a mentor.
I said that since the bees had died out they should sterilise the hive prior to installing bees. This completely flummoxed her as she said she would pay me if I would come and sort it.
Fast forward to last evening, I arrived at a local mansion to be greeted by an obnoxious 9/10yo boy who proceeded to tell me all about keeping bees.
His father accompanied us to the depths of their sprawling gardens to find a white WBC still with the frames in situ. It was obvious from the “heads in cells” that the demise was starvation so I told them they could use the best 5 frames and I would supply a 6 frame nuc for “a very modest”
price. I said I would give the insides a quick scorch for them as they didn’t possess a blow torch so we dismantled the hive and headed back to my van to give it a blast.
So, you may ask what do I have to confess?
Well, when we first approached the hive at about 8.30pm I noticed a few bees buzzing around the outside, as we removed the roof there were several more on the frames so I would have put money on the arrival of a swarm within the next few days if I hadn’t insisted they break up the hive and scorch it.
Do I feel guilty? Nah
