This is my latest cut-out. It was in a wall that I had to access from the outside, about 20' up or so. It was very time consuming with all of the up down stuff going on. Had to remove aluminum siding then clapboard to get to the bees, which was a large, mature colony of at least 3 yrs old judging by the dark comb. I just thank my lucky stars there was termtite damage to the vertical studs which made me putting back the materials impractical, that would have been a day event in itself.
The hive was arnery for most of the day and quite willing to provide apitherapy to anyone foolish enough to walk by, free of charge. In fact one or two decided to go up my pant leg and make me do that funny, oh no you didn't dance. Those dances never have happy endings.
Did I get the queen? Well, here's the story. She was a shy one, an elusive one, one smart cookie, or one fearful one, whichever way you look at it, she liked eluding me anyway, a real climber she was. Or are my eyes just getting bad?
Heck, its hard sometimes finding one little stup... I mean, wonderful little preciousness amongst all those arnery little stingy critters that we love so much.
I spotted her hrs and hrs later, way at the top by the gutter line, near the attic entrance, I think she was packing up to take a voyage to mars or something. She was next to this little piece of comb and trim, the last little piece of comb I removed on this day, nonetheless. Remember me saying I usually get her late in the game? Yep, this was no exception.
So, I see her amongst a bunch of bees, way at the top and I have no time to think, to plan, I just have enough time to close my hand around her, but there's a slight problem, she's not the only bee at this juncture, and I wind up with about 25 other bees in my clenched fist as well. Being the elusive bit.., um, uh, wonderful little matriarch that she is, she slips out and I'm left holding my, you fill in the blanks here, in the palm of my hand. Thank God for tricks!!!
Hey little bees, where you going? The attic, behind the trim, termite eaten 2x4's? Pluto? No, too cold there. Well, say hello to my little friend, Mr. Bee Quick, squirt, squirt, oh you don't like that, no? But it smells so nice, like almonds, thought ya'll liked almonds. What's in that stuff anyway, oh well.
Well, oh well is right, cause the little bees start marching, well more like running, but, well you get the picture, my way and I had faith, Michael Bush faith, you know, where he says, you know, envision her, that queen, be the bee, be the bee, so I envisioned and waited and poofed my magic come here queen wand and wouldn't ya know queeny decided to come to papa! And she was fat, fat and all that, or is it phat?
Anyway, got 'er done, a new hive, lots of bees, dancing the night away, and a little apitherapy to boot. Hope ya'll enjoy the pics. The closest you'll git to seeing this queen is the one where she's in the queen cage with all those bees around her. Nope wattin' even gonna try taking a pic of this one, too dern elusive, she probably would have flown off to mars anyway.
http://picasaweb.google.com/pyxicephalus/March172008...JP