Wednesday 15 August 2012

Meeting a beekeeper and finding out more about bees - Saturday 4 August

Saturday 4 August I went to see to see Jim who keeps bees. They are situated next to a field of rape which is a food source for them. It was fascinating putting on the bee suit and getting a feeling of going into a different world. It was an eerie sight watching Jim disappearing down the garden in his suit, holding the smoker. There's a kind of sci fi look to the whole thing. Of course wearing protective clothing is an important precaution, though the smoke should calm the bees. Apparently, the smoke makes the bees think that there is a fire so they feed to increase their stores in case they have to abandon their hive. Consequently they are more interested in feeding than in stinging you and the activity of feeding distends the abdomen which also decreases the ability of the bee to sting.

It was interesting to see the honey in the wax on the frames and also the queen excluder. After a while I retreated, unstung, in the bee outfit and wellies with trousers tucked inside (essential as it stops the bees running up the inside of your trousers leg to who knows where!