WOW...Has It Really Been This Long...UPDATE!!!

The Summer has come to an end...and it seems I haven't blogged all season! WOW

Anywho...the last blog entry, I was in the process of getting a new queen...well, let me tell you...

I was able to get a new queen from Busy Bee. I had been in such a hurry…afraid I would lose the entire hive if someone didn’t start laying eggs soon! All they had available was a virgin queen…which meant…she would need to be placed in the hive…leave the hive for her mating flight…and return to begin laying eggs…all without being eaten by a predator…WOW! I had to leave the hive alone for a couple of weeks (approx. 19 days) to allow everything to happen. When I went back into the hive, there was a little bitty bee emerging from a cell… HUH??? How is that possible? It takes 21 days for a worker to be “born”…the new queen wouldn’t have had time to get in there do everything and actually have babies emerging. Something fishy is going on! So, I went thru all of the scenarios and to this day…still can’t come up with a reasonable explanation. I just say, “Thanks, God” for keeping my hive going. It was an amazing sight to see a little bee coming out of that cell!

From that point, the Girls have been working overtime all Summer. They have made sooooo much honey …some from the sugar water but quite a bit from actual nectar…and they are still going…so I may just have a little honey this season for myself. Wouldn’t that be something!

I’m adding a medium super this week with a queen excluder (to keep the queen from laying eggs in my honey). Worst case…even if I don’t get any honey from it before it begins to get cool…they will at least start drawing out the frames with wax for the Spring.

Talk to you soon! BEE happy!

So Much Going on...Just an Update...

So...first of all...the Queen situation...


I called Busy Bees back today to check on the status of a new queen. Because of the weather they queens have been delayed...we've had a lot of rain and today is actually a little chilly.
It was recommended I get a virgin queen. The drones I already have will end up mating with her. WOW, finally...my drones will have something to do...lol!


Ok...I know this is a large bit of info below...but oh so very interesting!!!


Virgin queen bee
A virgin queen is a queen bee that has not mated with a drone. Virgins are intermediate in size between workers and mated, laying queens, and are much more active than the latter. They are hard to spot while inspecting a frame, because they run across the comb, climbing over worker bees if necessary, and may even take flight if sufficiently disturbed. Virgin queens can often be found clinging to the walls or corners of a hive during inspections.

Virgin queens appear to have little queen pheromone and often do not appear to be recognized as queens by the workers. A virgin queen in her first few hours after emergence can be placed into the entrance of any queenless hive or nuc and acceptance is usually very good, whereas a mated queen is usually recognized as a stranger and runs a high risk of being killed by the older workers.

When a young virgin queen emerges from a queen cell, she will generally seek out her virgin queen rivals and attempt to kill them. Virgin queens will quickly find and kill (by stinging) any other emerged virgin queen (or be dispatched themselves), as well as any unemerged queens. Queen cells that are opened on the side indicate that a virgin queen was likely killed by a rival virgin queen. When a colony remains in swarm mode after the prime swarm has left, the workers may prevent virgins from fighting and one or several virgins may go with after swarms. Other virgins may stay behind with the remnant of the hive. As many as 21 virgin queens have been counted in a single large swarm. When the after swarm settles into a new home, the virgins will then resume normal behavior and fight to the death until only one remains.
If the prime swarm has a virgin queen and the old queen, the old queen will usually be allowed to live. The old queen continues laying. Within a couple of weeks she will disappear and the former virgin, now mated, will take her place.
Unlike the worker bees, the queen's stinger is not barbed. The queen can sting repeatedly without dying.

Piping (we didn't discuss this in class at all...WOW, I wonder if I'll hear my virgin queen do this???)
Piping describes a noise made by virgin and mated queen bees during certain times of the virgin queens development. Fully developed virgin queens communicate through vibratory signals: "quacking" from virgin queens in their queen cells and "tooting" from queens free in the colony, collectively known as piping. A virgin queen may frequently pipe before she emerges from her cell and for a brief time afterwards. Mated queens may briefly pipe after being released in a hive. The piping sound is variously described as a children's trumpet tooting and quacking. It is quite loud and can be clearly heard outside the hive. The piping sound is created by the flight motor without movement of the wings. The vibration energy is resonated by the thorax.
Piping is most common when there is more than one queen in a hive. It is postulated that the piping is a form of battle cry announcing to competing queens and the workers their willingness to fight. It may also be a signal to the worker bees which queen is the most worthwhile to support.

The piping sound is a G♯ or A♮. The adult queen pipes for a two-second pulse followed by a series of quarter-second toots.[2] The queens of Africanized bees produce more vigorous and frequent bouts of piping.



This information can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_bee

JONES IS BUSY WITH HER BEES

BY JOHN MCCANN : The Herald-Sun May 11, 2009

http://heraldsun.southernheadlines.com/durham/4-1154272.cfm?

Visit the link above to read the story printed in today's Durham newspaper.

Thanks John McCann for a fantastic article!

I received a phone call this afternoon from a man in Oxford

who said he saw me in the newspaper today.

He said there have been honeybees in one of the walls of the church he attends

for almost 15 years! WOW

When it's warm...the honey pours down the walls onto their carpet.

I explained that I'm a brand new beekeeper but would be happy to help in anyway I can.

So I plan on asking my instructors what the best way to help would be.

PRACTICAL TEST

The NC Master Beekeeper Program

http://www.ncbeekeepers.org/master.htm

I'm going to Mr. Pipes house on Wednesday to take my practical test!

WOOOHOOO

Once I pass this hands on test, I'll be a certified beekeeper!

I am so very excited!

ORANGE COUNTY BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION

http://theocba.org/

I'm going to my first association meeting on Thursday.

I am so very greatful for the helpful of Lynette (one of their members).

She came out and helped me figure out what was going on!

Until the next time everyone...

from my favorite poem my father sent to me while I was living in France...

he told me to apply it to my life.

Desiderata... "Strive to BEE Happy"

Guess Who Is Gone...

So...remember all of those pictures with the crazy honeycomb everywhere...

ummm...there may actually be a reasonable explanation.

The Girls are bored!

They don't have any brood to take care of!

They no longer have a queen!!!

WOW! I know...I said the same thing!

A bee mentor named Lynette came over to help me figure out what was going on.

She said...ok...let's just go thru each frame and see what we see.

As we pulled out each frame and checked front and back...

ummm...no eggs...no larva...hmmm...

Lynette said...sometimes it happens...

the queen may have been weak after the trip.

We were able to scrape off that huge chunk of extra comb.

I must admit...I just met Lynette that day

and had only previously spoken to her on the phone...

I had to drop my pants...as a little girl had crawled up...

trying to get up off of the deck...

I stayed still for a second thinking it was my imagination...

then, I said..."ummm, I'm going to have to drop these (pants) for a second."

NO!!! I don't have any pictures of that...(Thank, God) LOL

At least I remained cool...and still didn't get stung...which is really crazy. LOL

Anywho...we called Jack Tapp with Busy Bees...and he'll have some queens ready the middle of next week. The good news is my girls haven't decided they know how to lay eggs...they will make a complete mess by placing multiple eggs in a cell, for example.

So, until next week...I'll sit tight until I can get a new queen.

At least with Lynette coming over...I was sure of what I was/was not seeing...

and this really helped to prepare me for my practical test which I'll take in the next week.

This is second part to becoming a Certified Beekeeper in the State of N.C.

The Mess The Girls Made...

Isn't she cute?
This little girl decided to hang out for a second...
Jada snapped this picture twice and she just sat there...
walking around a bit...

BTW, no stings to date...

So...here I am...searching for the Queen...
I wish she would just yell..."Hey Lady, here I am!"

Just too many bees to find her!!!! Grrrr...

This is the reason I'm so anxious...
it appears my girls are making a queen...
At field day...they said...
they sometimes do this just to worry you! lol
(the queen cells are shaped like peanuts)

Maybe I'll just get a Nuc box and start a new hive?
Hmmm...

Also...if you look at the pic above closely...
you should see bee larva...(top right)

Looking down into the hive at the MESS! lol

So...this is the mess I was talking about...
Great pictures, JadaKaye!

Close up...

But thru it all...I still love them!

Just doing what they do...'LITTLE GIRLS!!!"

N.C. Master Beekeeper Program

Just an update...

I've passed part 1...

which is the written examination for the
Certified Level of the N.C. Master Beekeeper Program!

WOOHOOOO

Now...to complete my certification...
I have to complete part 2 which is the practical test.
I just have to manipulate a hive of bees in front of an instructor.

Once I pass the second part, I'll be a Certified Beekeeper!

http://www.ncbeekeepers.org/master.htm

Question:

Can I bring my own girls for the manipulation of a hive?

'Cause I don't know how other people's children will act! LOL

Working Overtime!

Saturday night...it had been rather warm all day...
I walked up the deck to go in the house...
I could see a shadow at the hive entrance...hmmm...what is that???
I'm used to the Babies being all tucked in when it's dark outside.

Here is the picture I took...
they were so very still...motionless...but alive...kinda...sleeping...
Come to find out...it was just a little too warm inside of the hive...
so they decided to sleep under the stars...
this made me on edge to see what was going on...for fear...
they may be getting a little cramped...
could that be possible? Already?

So ...remember this pic...the empty hive...before installing the Babies...

AND...the brand new foundation...thin sheet of wax which guides them...

WELL...a Bee friend, Christine...
came over to help me put the hive up on pavers...
saw a few picnic ants and didn't want them snooping around the hive.

It has been approximately a week and a half
so I'm "allowed" to finally take a peek!

Took the inner lid off to find the girls have decided to be a little creative
and add some honeycomb on the lid...

"um...no...girls...not there!"

So...of course...it's gone now...I actually have taken it as a souvenir...
awww, the Babies have made something!!!

So...this is what that little piece of honeycomb was attached too...
See the clump of honeycomb in between these frames?

Look...they are sooooo busy!

(Close Up)

Then...I gave them a small puff of smoke...to take a closer look...

By the way...I'm still no good at the smoke/fire thing!

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Look at the foundation!!! There is honeycomb everwhere!!!

This picture shows a frame full of honeycomb
and with some of the combs full of NECTAR!!!

(yes...look back up top...remember the foundation frame...empty...uh huh!)

I have been reading to find out for sure
when to add the next brood chamber...
I think the answer is NOW!!!

Here are a few pictures of the girls...
playing on the front porch!

Just an Update...

Just an Update

So...the "Babies" have been with me for one week...

STILL NO STINGS...imagine that!

Evidently, I'm doing something right. (smile)

The Herald Sun came out last Friday
as they are preparing to do a story on me and the honeybees.
We had a great time talking about the bees
and went out on the deck for a closer look.

Yesterday, it had warmed up quite a bit...the "Babies" were enjoying the afternoon.

As I filled their "bottle" I was watching them come and go...

noticing...a few were coming in for the evening with huge pollen legs...

WOW...they are working already...it was a GREAT sight!

Anywho, I'm unable to go in for a peek until Sunday...

it is really driving me nuts...

I wanna see how much they've accomplished

as they have been slurping down their simple syrup...lol.

Talk to ya later!!!

Jada's Not Afraid of the Honeybees...

I told you to tell the bay-BEES that Crazy Aunt Jada was coming over soon.

I'm so glad I did that. I'm not scared anymore.

How amazing are they?!

And who in the world would have EVER thought JadaKaye would be standing on a deck where there is a bee hive? Much less walking up close to the thing so she could take a picture?!

Rhonda ... You are something else.

As mom would say: "You do mo' stuff!!"

And I'm glad, because since I know you, I get to say:

"Yeah! That's MY friend who does all the cool stuff!"

This is a picture of the top of the feeding jar...

Rhonda was trying to take the lid off for a refill

and the babies just sat there and kept drinking...just slurping...

She even nudged them with her finger ...

they moved slowly but didn't even try to sting...

My First Scare!

Ok, so like any new mother...

the "babies" have already scared me!

Easter Sunday...I woke up a little before 9

because I knew I needed to put icing on Pastor's Carrot Cake

and get to church early.

I know I've only had the "Babies" since Thursday

but ...anywho...I'm used to seeing them up and playing by the time I'm downstairs.

I peeked out of the mini-blinds in the kitchen...only to find...ONE BEE!!!

One little girl, walking around on the landing board...

every once in awhile flying up and about...but just ONE!

OMG, where are they? Did they decide to leave?

Did someone kill them? Did I kill them?

PANIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I tried to focus as ... I had to get to church ON TIME...

it's Easter...and it would be packed.

But...I just couldn't help thinking...Where are my "Babies?"

Finally...about 10 o'clock...I decided...I'm going in...

I'll hurry and put my gear on

(I know what you are thinking...why since you don't think they are there) ...

lit the smoker...climbed the steps to the deck...opened the hive...

silence...few bees on top...ok...this may not be bad...

Lifted the top lid to find...the "Babies" ... all huddled together trying to stay warm...

but this crazy lady has the lid off!!!

I researched it later to find out...

Honeybees only come out when the temperature is

approximately 57 degrees or warmer!

The Babies Have Finally Arrived!!!

Sorry for the late post on the "Babies" arrival...I was sick all of last week...

They arrived Thursday afternoon, April 9, 2009.

My Godmom Marj took me over to pick them up from

Busy Bees Apiaries in Chapel Hill

(that's how bad I felt...ugh).

They come in a wood box with mesh wire sides called a Package.

There are approximately 3 lbs or 13,000 Honeybees per package.

The "Girls" were buzzing...until we started driving that is...

then they actually became quiet... maybe they enjoyed the ride...LOL...

I doubt it as Honeybees don't care for vibrations.

Installing a Package

Here is the hive...

I am installing my package of bees using what I'll call the Tapp Method (smile).

Jack Tapp of Busy Bees was telling me about a way

where you don't have to shake them into the hive.

As he said...and how it seems to me...it is less stressful this way.

With his method, you simply remove the Queen...

place her between two of the frames...

remove 5 of the frames...open the package

and place the entire package into the hive.

The next day you can come back and remove the empty box.

This is a picture of the Queen's Cage.

She was inside of this little box with a couple of Workers to take care of her.

We'll insert her between two of the frames.

The Workers will then eat what's called "Queen's Candy" to free her from the cage.

This is a way to ensure they want to take care of her...their acceptance of her.

This was sooooooooo easy!

I didn't even put my hat and veil on or light the smoker for it!

Putting on the copper top...and we're done!

The Buzz from Outside the Hive - FAQs for the Neighbors

The Buzz from Outside the Hive

FAQs for the Neighbors

How come I don't see as many honeybees now as I did when I was a kid?

In the late 1980's and early 1990's, a parasitic mite was accidentally introduced that preyed upon honeybees, both those kept by beekeepers, and those living in the wild. The "wild" honeybees were wiped out by this mite, and many beekeepers lost large numbers of their colonies to this pest. Today, most bees that you see are kept by a beekeeper, and any colonies in the wild, are some that got away from a beekeeper. Beekeepers have medications today to help control the pest, but colonies that swarm away from a beekeeper are usually doomed to die because of the mite.

Why are honeybees important?

That is a great question! Honeybees are one of our most important pollinators of the fruits and vegetables that we eat. There are many different pollinators in our world, but the honeybee is one of the most effective and efficient of them all. Honeybees are not native to the U.S., and were imported by the early settlers to pollinate the crops that they brought with them. Many of the fruits and vegetables that we enjoy were not native to the U.S., and the pollinators that were present here naturally did a poor job of pollinating these new species of plants the settlers brought with them. If not for honeybees, the produce department of the largest grocery store would be about 75% smaller! Apples, almonds, watermelon, cucumber, oranges, peaches, cherries, and cranberries are just a few of the many fruits and vegetables that rely on honeybees for proper pollination.


I am allergic to bees, and one sting will kill me!

My response to such a statement is "Have you ever been stung by a honeybee?", and "Has an allergist tested you for hyper sensitivity to honeybee venom?". Many people have been stung by "Bees" before, but very seldom is it by a honeybee. Wasps, especially Yellow Jackets ( which look a lot like honeybees), are very territorial and will sting with little or no provocation. Honeybees on the other hand, when away from the hive, are quite docile and will not usually sting unless they are handled or stepped on.

Is it safe for me to work outside?

Yes, as Honeybees are truly only interested in flowers/plants for nectar. Be mindful not to swat at them...if it's a Honeybee...they'll go on about their business. If you are going out to cut your grass, it would be best to do so in the late afternoon/evening when the Honeybees are on their way in for the night.

Can I have some honey?

I noticed that honey prices have soared over the past year. What happened? Several factors have come into play concerning honey prices in the past year. The wholesale price of honey went from approximately $.70 a pound to a high of $1.90 a pound in a span of 7 months! One thing that happened was that the U.S. would not accept several shipments of honey from China until it could be tested for chemicals that are banned in the U.S. Another thing was that the countries we normally import honey from didn't produce enough honey for export last year. Finally, in many parts of the U.S. the honey crop was way down from previous years. All of these factors converged at one time to help push up honey prices.


I live in a subdivision, and have no place to keep bees.

This is not usually a valid excuse for not keeping bees if you are truly interested in beekeeping. Many towns and communities do not ban beekeeping, and backyard beekeeping is a growing hobby. Neighbors can be a concern however. As a responsible beekeeper, you need to be aware of your neighbors and their concerns about beekeeping. First, out of sight, out of mind is the best philosophy. Put your hives in a location so that the neighbors cant see them. Consider fencing them off behind a 6' tall privacy fence. This will force the bees to fly up and over the heads of anyone in the area. Explain to your neighbors the importance of honeybees and their role in the environment. Let them know that away from the hive, honeybees are not aggressive, and will not sting unless they are handled or pinched. Don't advertise that you have bees. If you wear a bee suit, veil, gloves, etc, that is fine, but don't let your neighbors see you parade across the yard dressed like that. They will them begin to wonder about these "gentle" bees you are always talking about. Have a place where you can get dressed and not have the neighbors notice you. Be sure to take all honeybee complaints serious, and check into them. If a neighbor is complaining about bees in a birdbath, or hummingbird feeder, or swimming pool, deal with it. Find a solution to the problem. It could be as simple as having the neighbor drain the birdbath a couple of days while you supply them with water closer to the hive. Also, explain to your neighbors that sweet things will draw not only bees but other stinging insects as well. Don't leave cans of soda out, or spilled sweets, or lids off garbage cans. Finally, give them a few jars of the honey that you produced from your hives. Maybe a gift basket with a jar of honey, a honey dipper and a pair of rolled beeswax candles. If you just don't want to risk dealing with the neighbors, then find a local farmer, or someone who owns a piece of land, and talk to them about keeping bees on their property. Many landowners welcome beekeepers and would love to have hives on their property!


What do honeybees do?

At face value, this seems like a very simple question, but when we begin to think about it and answer the question, it becomes somewhat lengthy and complicated. First and foremost, honeybees are pollinators. They were brought to this country by the early settlers to pollinate the various crops and plants that they brought with them. Without the honeybee, the pollinators native to the U.S. didn't effectively pollinate these new crops, so the plants produced less than their full potential. The honeybee did a much better, and effective job of pollinating the crops. Next, honeybees produce honey. Honey is produced by mixing the nectar of plants with enzymes, and drying it in the hive. Honey is a combination of sugars, minerals and enzymes. Finally, honeybees produce other products in the hive as well. Beeswax, propolis, and royal jelly are all produced and collected from the hive.

How do I prevent my neighbor's bees from following me when I'm outside?

Your neighbor's bees suddenly take a liking to you and start buzzing you when you mow, don't swat and get frantic. Identify the culprit by first, making sure it is the honey bees that are following you, and not other wasps or insects (i.e. because you have a soda or food). I
If it is the honeybees, talk to your neighbor. This is not normal bee behavior as they will generally not pay any attention to people unless their hives are being tampered with. Let your neighbor know about this abnormal behavior so that the hive can be requeened or moved in order to calm the bees.


Why are the bees covering the front of my neighbor's hive?

This is normal, it is not a sign of an impending swarm.
More likely than not, it is hot outside and the bees are taking a break on the front porch of the hive to cool off and hang out. The technical term for this is 'bearding'.
While honeybees do like a warm hive - around 97 degrees or so - they like to cool off as well.


I see a cloud of bees around my neighbor's hive. Is this a swarm?

No. These are recently hatched bees who are taking a daily flight to get a break from their nursing duties, and to relieve themselves. Usually, the bees will be very active in front of the hive for 15 to 30 minutes per day. This will not be as noticeable during nectar flow because they have places to go and nectar to fetch.


How do I identify a honeybee?

A honeybee is a small, hairy insect that can usually be found on flowers or at a water supply. Vespids, on the other hand,have hard, slick bodies, and are generally easier to provoke than a honeybee.



What time of day to bees go out?

Honeybees are normally up and out very early...as soon as the sun is up...unless it is cold. 57 degrees or warmer (approximately) is when they will appear. As the sun begins to go down...so do the Honeybees...

2009 Field Day - Alamance County Bee Class

What can I say about our field day? If I could only use one word...it would have to be ...

AMAZING!!!

What is this little girl doing? Just looking at me? LOL

WOW, everyone was geared up and ready to go...
(well, the instructors were ready but didn't wear any gear...WOW!)

Here they are lighting the smokers ...the smoke distracts the bees.

Remember the whole... am I allergic thing?
Guess what? I still don't know! I had my Epi-Pen in my pocket...
and Benadryl in my lunch bag...but didn't have to use any of it...

The girls didn't sting anyone ALL day...we were out there 4 hours...playing with them! Moving them out of the way with our fingers...in their area...their part of the world...and nothing!

I held one of these frames ...yes, just like the one in the photo above...
honeybees all over the frame...and nothing...NO STINGS!!!
They are sooo very gentle.

Here is a photo of one of my bee friends ...
Stephanie
...holding a frame full of bees...

Can you see the little white dot on the end of this toothpick?
This is an egg!

This is my hand...
I'm holding a drone (male bee) which was in the last stage
before becoming an adult bee.

(We were checking for Varroa Mites)

You could actually see the three sets of legs...
the eyes (as you can definitely see here) and little grooves of the body.

This is a container of bees (3 inches)
covered in powdered sugar.

This is a test for Varroa Mites...
where when you shake the container over water...
the mites will fall out and float on top...
the powdered sugar dissolves.

Then, you are able to count
how many were on this sample of bees.

I held this frame of bees... Love them!!!

You know...I knew I wanted to be a beekeeper...
but after this field day...it really sealed the deal!

Waiting on their arrival...April 9th!

It's Almost Time...

Well, the time is quickly approaching!

Just imagine...in 3 weeks...

I'll have 13,000 bees...
my new babies...awwww...


Well, I am preparing their home which I picked up today from Busy Bees Apiary in Chapel Hill.

Jack Tapp and his wife are simply wonderful!!!
So extremely helpful...love them!

(Isn't this just sexy? LOL)

Here is a picture of the hive in my living room...

My hive is an 8 frame hive unlike the original 10 frame hive

invented in 1851 by Lorenzo Lorraine Langstroth.

(My dad's first name and my middle name...

WOW...helps me to remember this fact.)

Here is a picture of
one of the frames...
so many little cells on
this sheet of foundation.


Foundation is attached to the frame
to encourage the bees
to drawn out the cells evenly.


They use the hexagonal shape
vs. say a circle so they won't
waste wax and space is maximized
since cell walls are shared.

In this photo, you'll also notice the frames are kinda close together
with a little space between...which is called Bee Space...
it is 3/8 of an inch...if the bee space is violated...

The bees will use Propolis (another product of the hive which

comes from the resin of trees) to fill in the empty space

which ends up glueing everything together.

I went to Walmart and picked up some Boiled Linseed Oil used

to seal the wood while leaving the beautiful, natural wood look.

Also, I purchased a pair of men's work

pants to use as my bee hive apparel...

they are nice an baggy and light colored...

I'll use some rubber bands around my ankle to keep the bees out... (smile)

At Busy Bee, I also purchased my other beekeeping accessories...such as...

my hat and veil...in the picture above...my hive tool...entrance feeder...etc.

Well, it's me again (as if you needed another picture of me in my hat and veil) LOL

Excited about my venture...ready to experience the bees!

Wanna Plant a Bee Garden...

(I found this little setup at Home Depot...think I may try it...)

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100650595&N=+500493+90401+5486

I know the bees will travel approximately 3 - 5 miles away from their hive to find nectar. I want to make it a little easier for my babies. This will provide a home which is a little more inviting by having a profusion of flowers, trees and shrubs. I'm thinking... a mint garden...you know...the delicious herb that your grandma or great aunt used to put in her sun tea.

In class we discussed how certain flowers will give the honey a slight variation in taste...like mint...there are a lot of mint varieties...but they all would melt into an amazing flavor of it's own. Of course, it's not like I can tell the bees not to go elsewhere for their nectar collecting...but...it would be nice if some could have a hint of mint.

Here in North Carolina, we have many different nectar sources that bees just adore...

Red and Sugar Maple, Dadelion, Blackberry, Raspberry and Sourwood just to name a few.

There is something called Kudzu which gives honey a taste of grapes. Mmmm, that sounds good!

http://www.roanoke.com/extra/wb/wb/xp-110573

(info about the Kudzu vine)

Bees also need a source of water, such as a dripping faucet, birdbath, or pail with some floaters (to make sure they don't drown). I'm thinking a nice solar birdbath fountain. A fountain which will circulate the water which will lessen the chance of mosquitos trying to breed.

They use the water for cooling the hive by evaporation and also to thin the honey

when being fed to larva. A strong hive on a hot day can use over a quart of water a day,

this occupies 800 workers each making up to 50 trips to the water hole a day.

By the way, when I first get my bees, I will feed them

Simple Syrup (1 part water and 1 part sugar) until they are up and running.

Just Like Us...They Battle Diseases Too!

Tuesday night's class wasn't the most pleasant...

We discussed the various types of diseases and pests that may come to harm the "Babies."

After hearing all of this...I started to think...Do I still really want to keep bees?
OMG, so much can happen to them...can I do it? Will they survive?

Well, I decided...YES, I still want to keep bees because I'm not only helping the environment...

1. I've already made new friends. (Can't get enough of the good ones.)
2. The honey will enhance Chez Moi cakes. (Especially when I'm able to say..."and you know...I harvested this honey myself...from my Chez Moi Bees."
3. Eventually, I plan to learn the art of Apitherapy...
4. I'll have something that God gave to take care of directly since there is such a decline.(kinda like we should be doing anyway...but that's another topic) RECYCLE...oops, that one slipped. lol

I won't bore you with the various diseases and pests...as it's not a fun topic.
Just know...when you are purchasing honey at your local farmers' market...
it took a lot for that little container to get there.

BEE TRIVIA

How many bees does it take to make a pound of honey?

5300 bees

How many flowers must honey bees tap to make one pound of honey?

TWO MILLION

Appreciate the craft and the life of a bee!

BUY LOCAL!

What Will I Do with the Products of the Hive?

Hmmm, what will I do?

Of course, you all know about Chez Moi (the bakery)

http://www.chezmoi-bakery.com/ (small plug)...anywho....lol...

This is a Chez Moi rum cake...Brown Sugar Vanilla!

First and foremost, I plan on coming up with a unique recipe in which to use the honey I harvest. This will become one of Chez Moi's Signature desserts.

There are soooo many different products which come from a hive.

They are...

• Honey - is a good alternative when dressing wounds because it halts the growth of bacteria. Of course, it's always good to eat!!! Honey can be used as a health food because of its high content of energy giving sugars.
• Beeswax - candles, cosmetics
• Pollen - is another bee product that can be used as a health food. Bees collect pollen, reproductive spores of seed-bearing plants, from flowers. Pollen extracts have been used to detect and immunize against allergies.
• Propolis - is the sap, or the resinous material, that oozes from the bud and bark of trees, especially pines Bees take the propolis to their hive and add their saliva and wax flakes to it. The material is then used to cover the inside of their hive. Bee propolis reinforces the hive walls and it also help protects the hive from infection. Humans can use propolis to boost the immune system. It has been shown to act in a similar way to aspirin without the negative side effects (Stangaciu, 1999) and to reduce the swelling in a sore throat (Broffman, 1999).
• Royal Jelly - provides a variety of benefits to the human body in addition to its antibacterial and antiviral action
• Bee Venom - Bee venom therapy is able to relieve painful symptoms of arthritis and rheumatism. By injecting the venom from a bee into the skin the pain caused by arthritis and rheumatism is often reduced.

http://www.angelfire.com/me/HoneyBeeHive/MT4.html

Apitherapy utilizes products from the honeybee

including bee venom, bee pollen, raw honey and propolis,

to help promote healing.

I will take advantage of the many health benefits
since I do have OsteoArthritis and Hashimoto's (thyroid disease).

Let Me Catch You Up ... Part II

This Tuesday, February 17th will be our 5th class. There are 10 - 2 hour sessions altogether...with a field day on March 21st for four hours. There is just so much information! Also, I've already made some great friends! Rachel and Christine (and her son)...!

I ordered my "Babies" (this is how I refer to my bees, lol) on February 9th from Busy Bee Apiaries in Chapel Hill and expect to receive them approx. April 9th...All 26,000 of them (approx.) In a 3 pound package, there are approximately 13,000 per package. They recommend you start with 2 hives in case one is weak...you can even them out.

Being that I've never been stung, I made an appointment to visit an allergist to be on the safe side. Yes, I was an indoor child...the most outdoor time I had was on the apartment patio in Delaware. LOL We were pretty much in the "country"...we had tons of trees...our apartment overlooked the complex baseball field...but I just didn't do outside...LOL! Anywho... the allergist is sending me for a blood test but said it really won't tell too much since I've never been stung. She asked about my medical history and of any other allergies. She gave me a prescription for an Epi-Pen...just in case...since I will be working with sooooo many bees. I'm sure I'll be stung at some point...I'll just have to wait and see what happens. Dr. Dunn also gave me a great resource to check out regarding planting a "bee garden." I have some space in my backyard which really needs some attention...a "bee garden" would be perfect!

There is a program through the Alamance County Farm Bureau where they are giving away 15 sets of hives. I do hope to get a set of these hives so I haven't made a purchase yet. At the same time, the probability isn't in my favor. So, I've been researching the various equipment to see what will be best...and CUTE! ...Come on now, you know me! lol






This hive is called the English Garden hive...isn't it cute! Wouldn't it look great with my house? I think so too. It does cost a little more but for the first two...it may be necessary. (smile)






Things I still need to do...

• Inform the neighbors (a nice courtesy)


• Join the State Association


• Durham doesn't have a county association. I believe this is because before January 12, 2009 there wasn't an official ordinance allowing beekeeping with Durham city limits. Even though, some of the info presented with the ordinance states there are approximately 35 active beekeepers already. WOW! I need to find info on how to start one. (maybe something else to do...hmmmm?)

My OBF sent me the "Beekeeping for Dummies" book with a note enclosed...

"If they turn on you...
you can always use the book to kill'em."
(bee friends...he's kidding! LOL)

(photo courtesy of http://www.indianchild.com/bees.htm)

As you see, I'm extremely excited!
I look forward to taking care of my bees and helping the environment!