Sadly, our first call of the 2013 Bee Season resembled a massacre of sorts.
An older vacant home in need of repairs, was the perfect place for the colony to live,
until they were sprayed by an exterminator.
The small bathroom was covered in dead bees.
The window seal displays dead bees over an inch thick.
The tiny bathroom made it a challenge for both deWayne and I to work.
deWayne removes the shelves, making it easier to maneuver.
A heat detector allows us to locate bees
behind the wall above the toilet.
deWayne drills a "peep" hole to make certain we have the correct spot.
Sure enough, we are right on top of the colony!
deWayne takes a few quick measurements...
With a knife in hand, deWayne begins the cut...
I can't wait to see what's behind the wall!
This is my favorite part, almost there!!
How cool is this, but don't bee fooled!
We've just gotten started!
deWayne removes the honeycomb from the backside of wall.
By using the Bee Vac, I remove the bees from the honeycomb.
Well, the queen is definitely alive and well!
Look at all that brood! (baby bees)
We soon learn the colony is larger than the original cut,
so deWayne cuts further down the wall.
And here we have it! Honey!
Isn't this the neatest honeycomb?
The yellow spots are pollen and the imprint is from the wall cavity.
More pollen, a confirmation they have little ones to feed!
Two five gallon buckets of honeycomb full of pollen and brood,
plus a tray full of honey!
Unfortunately, we were unable to enjoy the honey because of the
toxic poisoning from the bees being sprayed.
deWayne fills the cracks and holes,
assuring the bees can't get back inside.
Cavity finally empty!
Outside, deWayne puts on the final touches!
Another fine job by:
THE VINTAGE BEE COMPANY!
No comments:
Post a Comment