A Tragedy of Schoolboy Errors

Or How NOT To Do It.

I've learned things today. First: Typing while a small kitten with razor teeth nibbles your fingers is nigh on impossible. Second: When you are a novice bee keeper, rushing into cleaning the sugar syrup feeder after dark in a bee suit that doesn't fit with gloves that aren't really thick enough is not in any way a sensible decision. Still shaking and feeling slightly hysterical I have just about calmed down but it is by no means certain that the bees have yet.

I went down to check on the hive and the sugar syrup dispenser. When I looked at it I realised the sugar had crystalised to such an extent some bees were caught in it and others were struggling to get to it. This, figures I, meant the poor bees can't get any more syrup and they looked like they really really wanted it. Now this may have been a fine example of anthropomorphism. Knowing that in times of stress I pig out on chocolate perhaps I projected that onto the hive.

The net result is a really pissed off hive. Instead of researching how to remove a feeder, engaging the assistance of a more experienced bee keeper and lighting the smoker to calm the hive I thought "Hey it's dark, how much trouble can there be. I'll just take the cone off the feeder (which is over a hole that gives access to the brood box) thereby removing the access control to the syrup. Actually It would be quite wrong to say that I thought about anything. I came I saw I bungled. I just didn't think it through. I dashed in and as a result when bees came pouring up through the hole I panicked, dropped the feeder. Bees quickly covered the whole of the feeder many of them fell into what syrup was accessible and drowned (possibly a couple of hundred I am ashamed to say) I'd moved the feeder away from the hole so that those bees out of the hive couldn't get down and I have no idea how to tell which of them were nurse bees and which of them could fly.

I realised in a split second that I had screwed up royally. I had a rubber glove covered in sugar syrup and bees and one of the bees had got inside my visor. Again I panicked and ran down the garden trying to strip off my glove and get the visor down before the poor angry bee stung my face. I grabbed the smoker and managed to get it alight but I realised after puffing it at the bees that really it wasn't a smart idea either. Smoke triggers the bees to gorge on honey. If the closest thing to honey happens to be sugar syrup, why lets go for that. More of the bees poured out into the syrup. Some trying to eat it, some realising their sisters were drowning in the stuff tried to pull them out and others buzzed about trying to drive me away and all the while I was standing there in my bee suit feeling completely helpless.

Ultimately the only thing I could do was try and brush them out of the way while I pushed the feeder back toward the centre of the super at least allowing those that survived to get back into the main body of the hive.
Then gritting my teeth I brushed those that were left back into the super and put the lid back on. Net result a lot more angry, upset probably distressed and dying bees. All caused by a misguided urge to take control and solve a problem.

Goose, the kitten has slightly put things in perspective by taking several flying leaps onto my keyboard. Life goes on. There is no drum roll to signify the pathos of the moment. There was just a lot of unnecessary suffering caused by a lack of planning and forethought.

I cant help feeling that's a life lesson I should have picked up in infant school.

Today was a quiet day, There was some pollen outside the hive, I wondered why, I thought the hive might have a problem but I was going to research it but basically write about chickens.

I'll ring lovely Alex in the morning and ask if he can help me sort out the cock up. I just have to hope it's dry tomorrow because if not I can't open the hive!

Goodnight.
Katherine