We Have Our Bees!

We finally have our bees, and they are settling into their new homes. Hubby drove to Travelers Rest to The Carolina Bee Company, to get them. It was a hot day, so they were a bit rambunctious, and the second box was def more agitated than the first.

They chased Mark and one stung him on the forehead. We left them for about an hour, after he put their sugar water in, and they had quietened quite a lot, and were going in the hives. 

He doesn't have a problem working with bees, and some had got out in the truck while he was driving them "home". The first box was calmer and just buzzed around him gently, as he did what needed doing.

They were slow coming out at first.

Then, once almost all of the first box were out, they started crawling around the open hive. While they did that, Mark popped the sugar water into their water tray, and then put that on top of the hive and then put the cover on. He expected the second one to go as easily, but they were not happy, and were fussing from the get go, and chased him off a few times. We left them to settle and figure out that their Queen was in her hive, and to go in there with her. Even then, when Mark went back to add their sugar water tray, and pop the cover on, they still weren't happy with him invading their space.

Amazing how 2 lots of bees can be so different.

We set the hives up between the orchard and the creek.  Mark had mowed in the area yesterday, between the rows of fruit tree saplings. We brought over 2 troughs from our house, and I've ordered 6 hummingbird vines, so I'll plant 3 in each and then let them grow up and over the chain link.

Up at the front porch, the clematis in the planters (attached to the entrance arch) have sprawled even more. They are entwining themselves around the wire frame, I'm excited to see how they will look in a few weeks.

I love how everything is coming together. God is so good!