they're here! finally! of course we had to start the day right with some bee pancakes.....just for preparation.
here's the package; roughly 10,000 honeybees::
this would be the sugar can that feeds them while they are waiting to be installed in a hive::
and here is the queen cage coming out::
and our queen::
she is placed on the side of a frame and will eat her way out within a few days. (her cage is plugged with candy)::
and the dumping and shaking and tapping; this is where i was relieved to have the full suit::
the kids are not phased at all. i think i should have let o install the package.
putting a lid on it::
and some sugar syrup to get everyone going::
and there you have it! i have to wait a full week to go in and check things out. its so nice finally having them here though. i feel like its been a long time coming. i have to say that so far the most labor intensive part was just assembling the hive body and frames....of course big b took care of that part.
and he also established this killer spot in about a half hour! it previously looked alot like the background; over-grown and green. he collected some rocks from around the yard and stole some pea stone from the kids playzone and voila::
he also put some weed block material beneath the stone, assuring that we will never have to disrupt the girls with weed wackers or hedge clippers. my favorite part is that this perfect little spot just happens to be right outside my kitchen window! so i get to watch them wake up every morning and have a birds eye view of all the activity!