The Swarm and I

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ElectricBlueBee

New Bee
Joined
Jun 22, 2010
Messages
40
Reaction score
0
Location
Ipswich, Suffolk
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
2
Hi! :seeya:

By way of introduction, and because nobody else seems that interested in my excited story, i thought i'd post about my starting experience here.

I joined a few days ago.

I completed our local BKA basic training in March this year after getting together with a work colleague that lit the torch on my smouldering childhood deep-down desire to keep bees.

So having done this, and shown my young (25) enthusiasm to the BKA leaders, i've been left to do lots of reading, helping out where i can which has been far less that i was hoping. I've only been able to go see the associations hives twice and i'm getting very eager to keep my own hives.

So i've got about 2 hours experience of just looking into a hive and holding frames. And i have my own army camo beesuit.

Imagine my surprise when i was walking home on wednesday at 4pm in the heat, that when passing my neighbours front garden, there on the wall was a swarm! I called my association mentor who promptly came down (beating about 2 other people who had been called by neighbours), and says to me "Why aren't you in your bee suit? You're collecting this swarm!"

I almost wet myself.

So, out of the boot of my car, right next to us, i got my army camo beesuit on, to which the neighbours all start 'swarming' outside to watch. They know my dirty secret!

Got skep, scooped into skep, upturned skep in garden, went to book group in town for a couple of hours, came back around 8:30, friend came down, and we basically bundled them off to a new association hive which i'm going to get to look after!

I got some great close up pictures and everyone has the silly idea that i was brave to take pictures unprotected near a swarm (little do they know).

Sorry for the ramble but i'm so excited by it all, getting my first swarm and i dont even have any hives!

And hello to you all.

xx

ElectricBlue
 
Hi there, Welcome- and well done- you are in- hook, line and sinker :cheers2:

When you get another opportunity - try to put a sheet in front of your empty hive- supported on a flat base, and tip the bees gently onto the sheet - so WALKING the bees in - great fun - lovely to watch - and they seem to accept the hive more than if dumped from the top- and it is a more gentle hiving.
 
Hi Electricbluebee, well done, what luck! Start as you mean to go on!
Burren
 
Nice one.I'm also new and looking forward (with some apprehension) to collecting my first swarm Well done :)
 
Welcome and what a nice start to beekeeping you have had, what with a nice swarm to collect as well.:cheers2:
 
hi , im also in suffolk and am a newbie, i appreciate your story and have been through a similar few months.

i had a hive ready and waiting after completing my suffolk bbka course, until i got a call one saturday morning a few weeks ago from a lady who had a swarm in her garden. my number had been passed on to her as i was on a list

it was funny when i arrived and she asked "have you done this many times before!". i told her a little white lie as i thought if i said it was my first time she wouldnt feel very confident about the situation.

still they all went into the skep come sundown and now live with me although only in a nucleus box as they were a bit on the small side! and i was offered a prime swarm just 1 week later. so very shortly i will need another hive.

its great isnt it.:cheers2:
 

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