In Which We Adopt The Right Sort of Bees.

“That buzzing noise means something.
Now, the only reason for making a buzzing noise that I know of is because you are… a bee!
And the only reason for being a bee is to make honey.
And the only reason for making honey is so I can eat it.”
– Winnie the Pooh

 

 

 

Last night, my husband and I drove a few hours together with over 10,000 bees in our truck.

 

So exciting!!!

 

 

 

We’ve been researching getting bees since last year and now they are here! It was thrilling speaking to the owners of the bee company where we purchased our Nuc (Nucleus Colony). They have five children and run their honeybee business full time – all their children help. It was fantastic and inspiring! {I think any family business where everyone can be involved in the economics is a wonderful idea!}

Anyways, today, with the girls watching in great anticipation, we gingerly set up the hive, transferring the bees slowly and carefully into the new hive. Let’s just say, it was rather intimidating for our first time – especially since we do not have any bee equipment/gear yet {I wrapped my head with a sheer curtain so as not to have bees fly up my nose}! We are definitely “new-bees” in this but I hope to learn quickly and teach the children along the way.

 

Things I have learned about bees in less than 24 hours:

1. Bees do not want to sting you – stay calm and do not act panicky. Be friendly.

2. Don’t wear dark colors. Most bee predators are darker colored – so therefore, you do not want to look like a predator to your honeybees!

3. If taking the hive apart, approach the hive from the back end.

4. Beehives need to face south/east to catch lovely sun on their front porch.

5. Honeybees never stop working. {We knew that already but it is proof when you watch them!}

6. A worker honeybee only lives 40 days. The males do nothing except breed with the Queen. {And I mean, NOTHING – the females even feed the male drones.}

 

{Yes, bee people, I had the door on wrong in the above photo.  I fixed it afterwards when my daughter pointed it out to me.}

Honeybees are incredible – such an amazing creation by God. Take time to study the honeybee and you will learn so much.  We can’t wait to learn more about these wonderful honeybees, incorporating it into a unit study for school. Thank you, God, for creating the honeybee!

 

P.S. And I think I will paint the hive pink! What do you think?!