We had a hive of honey bees move into our barn this spring. Benny has wanted to keep bees for as long as we've had kiddos. His great-granddad was a beekeeper, and I guess it's in his blood. We bought a beehive kit and read everything he could get his hands on about beekeeping.
On the set morning, Benny, me, and our two boys went out to begin the adventure. Benny cut a huge square out of the wall inside the barn. The bees had no idea what they were in for, but neither did we. Below is a picture of the natural hive. The sounds of the saws all, and vaccuum and cutting the honey combs riled up the bees. Benny made a bee vaccuum from a five gallon bucket,plastic tubing, and a 
shop vac. It worked beautifully. He vaccuumed up alot of the bees, and left those who clung to the comb as he cut and rubberbanded them to the frames. To the left shows the vent in his bee vaccuum. It was completely covered! In all, it took a couple of hours to move the natural hive to the boxes. Our bees have a docile nature. Our boys watched from about 4 foot away. I had to step close to Benny and the hive to take pictures. Benny ended getting stung three times and I got stung twice. I was wearing a dark t-shirt, and didn't know that bees hate dark colors. We have to live to learn, right?
shop vac. It worked beautifully. He vaccuumed up alot of the bees, and left those who clung to the comb as he cut and rubberbanded them to the frames. To the left shows the vent in his bee vaccuum. It was completely covered! In all, it took a couple of hours to move the natural hive to the boxes. Our bees have a docile nature. Our boys watched from about 4 foot away. I had to step close to Benny and the hive to take pictures. Benny ended getting stung three times and I got stung twice. I was wearing a dark t-shirt, and didn't know that bees hate dark colors. We have to live to learn, right?Benny was excited to get out of the coveralls. He was completely shut up, and almost passed out because of the heat. His boots were duct taped to his boots, and he had a bee mask and special bee gloves on. There wasn't any part of his body exposed, so you can imagine how hot he got!
Benny, Xavier, and Noah built a little corner wall to keep the bees from the wind. We live in West Texas and wind is more common than the air we breathe. The walls protect the hive from the north and west winds. We've had 70 mph hour winds, and the box is still intact. He also weighted it down with a cinder block, and tied it down with a rachet strap. All has seems to work well.
UPDATE: Since our hive was a rather large one to start with, two weeks 
later Benny had to add another box. He made it from scrap wood, and did a great job. The bees have now adapted and have started building in it, too. This year, we probably will not get honey for us, because the hive will need at least two boxes for the nursery and honey for them to eat throughout the winter. We have both started bee-sting-therapy...but more about that in another post.
later Benny had to add another box. He made it from scrap wood, and did a great job. The bees have now adapted and have started building in it, too. This year, we probably will not get honey for us, because the hive will need at least two boxes for the nursery and honey for them to eat throughout the winter. We have both started bee-sting-therapy...but more about that in another post.
SHMILY!
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