Interesting Swarm call and Bird House!

Monday was a loooooong  night.  My wife was reminded why she doesn't like coming out with me on bee calls.  We didn't finish up until after 2am!  Like usual the calls didn't go as planned.  The first call was a swarm that was suppose to be the usual swarm call where the bees get placed in a box and removed at nightfall.  Well they were the size of 2 basketballs, "just as our friends said" and they decided to congregate in crazy places outside of the box that night as well.  This was a huge swarm, but the bees don't spread out like that during a swarm call.  This was one of my first crazy calls in the 3 years we have been in business.  Then I went to Scottsdale to get the bee hive in a birdhouse.  Fifteen feet into the air with the hive just above my head, I had to balance and try and sawzall through the screw that held the birdhouse beehive to the mesquite!  This goes without saying to beekeepers and others in this business.  I needed to plan this out well, as to keep the bees from going crazy on me.  I waited and looked, and planned and waited some more.  There was no getting around the mesquite that was situated between other trees and shrubs not to mention the new outdoor light that was delicate and just installed.  I was hanging off of a 2" diameter branch with my left hand and sawing with my right hand.  After much sweat and patient sawing.  I did it...but the birdhouse was still rocking as though it were attached.  Frustrated I pulled and pushed myself up on the ladder on my tip toes and sweating profusely now, saw another screw! Well I was in the thick of it at that point so I went at it, but needed a new blade, since my metal blade I had was too short!  After 10 minutes of looking for the allen wrench I misplaced and getting the right blade on, I cut through that next screw like butter (well really ice cold butter with a spoon as my saw) not literally but it took me a good minute or so of sawing to get through that too.  Well that was just half of the night.  I won't mention the rest unless asked :)

Sleepytime

It is winter time and as most of you may know it is time for bees to settle in for the winter.  They will forage less, if at all, and you may see some dead drones by the entrance of your hive. They are usually kicked out for the winter.  Here in AZ they may swarm all year. Keep in mind to call a beekeeper if you see a swarm, since they may move into your house.  I just had another call from a nice lady who is concerned for the bees, but can't afford a cut out.  Unfortunately she watched them swarm and then move into her house. Enjoy this winter time while the bees hibernate somewhat
and visit my website for some new information I just learned about keeping bees from your pool or other water source.  I say this with pride, "Happy Thanksgiving!"

Thanks for the rain

The wonderful Arizona monsoons have helped feed the bees a little longer this year.  There has been plenty of forage for the bees to enjoy.  Also there have been some great hives I harvested this past week with plenty of honey!

September Surprise Cutout

Today I cut out a nice hive for this couple in the Northwest Valley.  The bees continued into the attic!  Hopefully I won't need to vacuum them up, the hive is also sitting on top of the roof, and I will be back later tonight to pick them up.  

Bee swarm in my pepper tree

This morning  my son says "Look Dad! Bees up in the tree!" Sure enough I thought that I had lost a swarm of bees to my pepper tree. I decided not to take them down just then and continue enjoying my garden and orchard with my wife. We had a grand time, and then they were heard and seen flying away! I was sad, but come to find out, they must have been from somewhere else, or possibly part of one of my hives, because all the bee hives are still there! Praise God, my wife consoled me and said, "hey we didn't want to work on the sabbath anyway." I love when she's right. Now they can go somewhere else to keep our beautiful Arizona desert pollinated. Thanks Jesus for the nice cool overcast day yesterday. It gave us time to fix the AC and my bees some coolness from the heat!

It's getting hot in Arizona

I just had a swarm call in Cave Creek. It was very straightforward. The bees were swarmed underneath an old birds nest in a carob tree.  I cut the limb off and lowered them into a box for transport. They all settled in for the night, and have been successfully relocated! They are enjoing their new top bar hive far away from GMO, pesticides, herbicides and other poisons. By the way my son got in on the action, he was walking around like an old pro in his bee suit.  I got a good chuckle out of the homeowner when it came time to pay (he offered to pay more for the service because of him), I let him know my son was Union!

Spring time 2012

This is my second year as a beekeeper, and it sure is satisfying.  There is something about having these wonderful little creatures in your hands with the sweet and healthy honey dripping through the fingers that simply has to be experienced. I have been quite impressed with how well educated the most of my clients have been this year.  Most are more than willing to wait for the proper beekeeper to take care of their bees than to have them exterminated.  Yet there is still the idea most have that simply taking the bees from them is all the work that is involved.  Actually it is just the beginning of the work.  After the initial capture, the bees are then transferred to a hive, which for a swarm is quick work, but in my experience has been disappointing, since most bees will leave the new hive if they don't have it just the way they want it. The cut out is even more involved. The comb has to be transfered to the new hive which involves cutting and stapling the honey dripping and bees going crazy.  Don't get me wrong this is enjoyable but time consuming work to be done just right.  Once they are moved in it is off to the garden where watching them enjoy their harvest is relaxing and fun.  I hope the next time you stop to smell the roses, you enjoy the little bee inside too!