Back to index page

Jun 17, 2022


Today I woke up with lumbago. And isn’t that typical that just today I got an e-mail about a swarm of bees! I was over the moon, packed the car and drove to the swarm about half an hour away from us. While I was driving up I got another call about a swarm. I was at the first location at 2.30 pm and was quite a lot work. I got help from the husband of the owner of the apiary. He is very allergic to bees. So the plan was that I was to go up the ladder with a large papper bag and he would shake the branch and get out of there as quickly as he could. I was then to go down the ladder and shake the bees in my prepared hive. All good so far. But there was a group of bees that could not leave the branch so I went up and down a couple of times to shake them in the bag and into the hive. Most of the bees stayed in the hive so I was quite sure I had the queen in the hive. Then I laid down on the gras to take in the buzzing. Nothing like it. After a while there where again bees on the same branch. Same procedure and I managed to get all the bees of the branch eventually. 

Then the owner got home and we had a cup of tea and she mentioned another swarm that she catched 9 days ago and if I was interested in that one as well! YESS, of course I was interested. The bees where still flying out and she would come over the next day to bring them. 


Back to the swarm. After the tea it was really quiet in the hive so time to close it up for transport. In my excitement I did not take pictures. I drove home with my first “pick up” swarm and settled them in at home and on the the next one. It was now around 6 pm. 

When I got to the second location it started to drizzle and the bees where high up an old apple tree. 

We decided to cut off the branch and shake them into the hive. 

Again I got offered a cup of tea and something to eat and we chatted until the bees where settled in and I could take them home.

Two times smooth sailing and me ……. a happy beekeeper again.


The next day my other swarm was arriving and together we worked on putting everything in my hives. She has larger frames than mine so we had to make some adjustments. We worked very well together and it was done in now time. I didn’t put on my beekeepers jacket because it was lovely weather and they were not aggressive at all. We spilled some honey on the ground and I didn’t check where to put my knee and I got a stung. Not to bad and my back…… it hold up and I was aching and for bees…… I do almost everything. 


In 2 days I have 3 hives going! Live is good again. 

Love,

Annuska

Till next time

Design by Annuska Joosten © 2020