Wednesday Early Evening Bee Time!

[mylandmyrules]

The bees were finally here! Nell had let them rest in a cool dark place for the day, but now it was time to transfer them into the hives she'd prepared for them.

The sugar water was set to go and she had a smoker standing by just in case.

Comments

[mylandmyrules]

"Oh my goodness, yes," Nell said. "I've been waiting for this day since late last fall!"

She brought him over toward the hives which were on the far side of the greenhouse where the bees wouldn't be disturbed. "Here are the hives and I have the two nucs here to go in them."

[hasaknightjob]

"The two what?" Steven asked.

[mylandmyrules]

"They call the packages of bees 'nucs'," Nell said, "Because they're meant to be the nucleus of the new colony. I already sprayed them with water and a sugar syrup because they're tired and hungry when they arrive, and I left them in a cool dark place to settle after they arrived this morning."

[hasaknightjob]

"I see," Steven said. "I imagine I'd be tired and hungry too if I came here in a box."

[mylandmyrules]

"Definitely," Nell said. "And ready to be free."

She carefully used her hive tool to pry the wooden top off, then banged the package down sharply on its bottom. "It doesn't hurt them to do that," she assured Steven, "It just knocks them to the bottom."

She took the queen cage out carefully and replaced the wood on top of the box. She checked it out, making sure the candy was still in place, then peeled the apistan away. "This is the queen," she told him. "Would you like to hold her cage while I spray the bees again or would you like to spray the bees. You don't have to do either if you don't want to," she assured him quickly.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven was glad she'd explained that it didn't hurt them to knock the box like that, as it did look rather dramatic. "Hold the queen, I think? Never met a queen in person before. Hope she thinks I'm dressed all right."

[mylandmyrules]

Nell laughed and carefully handed him the queen cage. "I don't think she cares what you're wearing as long as we let her out soon!"

She carefully sprayed the bees again and knocked them down again before taking out five of the frames from the hive and setting them aside. SHe made sure the bracket for holding the queen cage was secure, then turned to Steven. "Okay, I'm ready for her now."

[hasaknightjob]

Steven looked the cage over as he held it, marveling at the large bee inside. He handed it over when Nell asked. "She's a big one, isn't she?"

[mylandmyrules]

"She is," Nell agreed. "She's beautiful."

She carefully hooked the queen cage on the bracket, then sprayed the bees again and knocked them back to the bottom. "Here's the fun part," she said, "Though I must admit I'm a tiny bit nervous."

She picked up the package and poured about half the bees right over the queen cage. Then she poured the rest into the open area where the frames would go. She had to shake the package a bit to make sure all the bees were in. Carefully she replaced four of the five frames into the hive and put the inner cover on. "Phew," she said, looking at Steven with a smile.

She quickly set up the hive feeder, with crumpled newspapers for insulation, and put the outer cover on, then carefully put the entrance feeder on. "See how this just leaves them about a finger's width?" she showed Steven. "That's so the bees just have a tiny spot to defend."

She stepped back and took a deep breath. "And the first hive is done. Just one more to go!"

[hasaknightjob]

Steven watched as best he could while staying out of the way. "Do bees normally feel defensive?"

[mylandmyrules]

"Well, they need to protect against any intruders like ants and such," she said. "Especially when they're getting settled."

[hasaknightjob]

"I see," Steven said. "Suppose that makes sense, them wanting the honey as well. At least not much chance of bears coming by to steal any?"

It was Fandom so Steven wasn't ruling out some chance, but at least less chance than an undefended hive in the middle of the woods.

[mylandmyrules]

"Hopefully not up here on the roof," Nell said with a smile. "So... One more hive to go. Do you want to take a more active part this time? Or just hold the queen again? Anything you'd like is fine."

[hasaknightjob]

"I'll stick with holding the queen if that's all right," Steven said. "I worry I'd pour the bees out in the wrong spot."

[mylandmyrules]

"Have to admit, I was a little worried about that myself," Nell said, "but it all went very smoothly."

She started on the second package, handing him the queen bee, before continuing on. "I think this one looks even a little bigger than the first," she said as she gave it to him.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven squinted at it, mentally comparing it to the previous one. "I can see that, yeah. So are you excited about all the new products you'll be able to sell once the honey comes in?"

[mylandmyrules]

"Not so much new as being able to source my own honey," Nell said. "Local is always good and if I've made it myself it's even better. Or target if my bees made it."

She took the queen from him and went through the final steps to finish up the second hive. "Phew. Now I leave them alone for a week while they get settled," she said. "But at least they're all in and ready to go!"

[hasaknightjob]

"Makes sense they'd need time to get settled," Steven said. "Unpack, figure out where they want to put everything."

[mylandmyrules]

Nell laughed. "Hang up a picture or two."

She let out a sigh of relief. "We did it. Do you want to sit for a minute before you go to Caritas? I think I just want to put my feet up for a minute and enjoy the view better I go downstairs."

[hasaknightjob]

Steven checked his pocket watch to see what time it was. "It's later than I thought! Tell you the sun going down so late does your head in. I should probably go while Summer still has enough of her jellies."

It was Summer. If she ever ran out of jellies the multiverse was probably collapsing.

"Thank you though," Steven said. "It was nice meeting your bees. Look forward to seeing what they come up with."

[mylandmyrules]

"Your are most welcome," Nell said. "It was nice to share it with you. Please give my best to the Detective. And since baseball night went so well, I think we'll do it again and he would be welcome to join us. I think I'll see if Lana wants to come as well."

[hasaknightjob]

"Will do," Steven said. "Enjoy your evening! You as well."

The last part, of course, was addressed to the bees.