We have more or less let the bees take over the Topanco as we were not sure how to proceed. Reading and learning about bee keeping, it turns out, is not the same as dealing with actual bees. The man who lived in the house prior to us, Jerry, asked if there was room to stay here as he wanted to jaunt down for a last minute trip. We said that sadly there was not since the only free beds were upstairs with the bees. He said-great no problem, I kept bees as a hobby for 10 years!
Totally amazing and perfect! This is a strange and wondrous world and Jerry will be my guide into apiculture. Today we will start. We will open the box and remove the masks and try to get some honey. Tonight we will try to move the whole box to a spot we have picked near the house. Eventually we will need to move them further.
I learned a good lesson about being careful just now. I was trying to move a box next to them and bumped the hive box hard. Within seconds I had been stung twice and was being pursued by a bee all the way down the stairs and across the house. She was pissed and rightfully so. Sadly it was her or me. Killing that bee was something I should not have had to do...it was my stupid fault and for that I feel much remorse. And a good deal of pain where she stung me! (which I totally deserved)
So now I got the first, of what will likely be many, stings out of the way and am ready to get to bee keeping. Photos and more stories to follow soon...wish me luck and most of all the ability to stay calm in case of disaster.
So rad! Sounds like it was meant to bee! Heh heh!
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