I Must Bee A Honey Bear

I have a confession.....I was a super thief today. I robbed a hive of their luscious golden honey. I also have to admit it wasn't the first time, but this time I acted totally alone. I'm not ashamed...I payed a price for the crime but nothing that was due to me..... Actually I have to set the true record straight, the price I paid did NOT occur doing the robbery...(it seldom does ;0)) It happened after the fact and the cause was due to total stupidity on my part! I KNOW NOT to cut grass around the hives AFTER working in them....while some honeybees don't mind, some of them do. I always cut grass, weedeat, pull weeds, etc. around our hives with NO worry BEFORE working in them! Experience has taught me though NOT to do this AFTER working them. They are hot, aggravated, agitated, and the list can go on....think about it....how would you feel if you (which they do 24/7) cleaned, scrubbed and kept intruders at bay...ex. wax moths/larvae and hive beetles..varroa mites, wasps, and the list goes on and on and on, then to have some human come in to take everything you have worked your little wings off for, not to mention the destruction this human left behind!

Some beekeepers use smoke, some use that smelly stuff to make the bees go below to rob them of their honey....I RARELY use smoke at all, it irritates me and seems to bother the bees as well it's a pain for me to light and by the time I get ready to use the smoker it's out! So, my NEW best thing to use when robbing is wild fennel weed, it's super soft and a wild herb. The bees love herbs and soft gentleness. I gently, slowly sweep the girls off of the capped honey frame and put the frames one by one into a screened empty super box. It worked like a charm with only a sting or two (my fault again) they got caught in between my suit.Sweet fuzzy girls...


Sweet golden honey....

These pictures are not from today, but the honey I got today is from the same hive.

What happened is I cut grass around them this afternoon after I stole their honey, it was extremely hot. I went past them three times before they came after me....I KNEW I was pushing my luck....but I went ahead and they got me. I left the riding lawnmower there and came inside to nurse my wounds. LOL My right hand is swollen really bad and the right side of my face is itchy....but I think I learned my lesson......until next time!

I must be a honey bear!

BEE WISE!

Julie