Newbie (or hoping to be anyway), but afraid...

[OzarksFarmGirl]

And a brush?  Why, is your hair messy?

If you want the bees off a comb, give it a hard shake.  Or you can hold it by one end, and give it a good thump or two on the landing board.

A bee brush is really good at making bees really irritable.  If you do use a bee brush, DON'T brush with it.  That just rolls the bees and makes them mad.  Use the brush to flick the bees off the comb with small flicks.

Only on days that end in "y".   :-D
Seriously though, thanks a million for the heads up on the brush...I'll nix it, as I certainly don't want my girls to get irritated.

[Bee-Bop]

Send me a PM;
I'm a mile north of Rolla.
The Bee Club meets at 2 pm. 3rd Sunday of the month, at the St. James Visitors Center.
You are more then welcome to stop in.

May be taking orders for Nucs at this months meeting.

Bee-Bop

[OzarksFarmGirl]

Send me a PM;
I'm a mile north of Rolla.

PM sent....and you may have just solved my mystery of to whom belong the bees that have been visiting my gardens. ;)

[hardwood]

If you have access to goose or turkey feathers three or four tied together makes for a great bee brush and doesn't piss them off nearly as much! A handful of long green grass works ok too.

Scott

[OzarksFarmGirl]

If you have access to goose or turkey feathers three or four tied together makes for a great bee brush and doesn't piss them off nearly as much! A handful of long green grass works ok too.

Scott

Great tip! I'd much rather use feathers or grass than a store bought brush anyway.  :)

[NasalSponge]

Really not much else to say, lots of great advice. But I will add as was mentioned before, beekeeping may well be the most subjective hobby to exist meaning we all do it differently and we all think we do it the right way. You have already seen some of that in this thread. Once I got thru the "I don't know what I am doing" phase of beeking (no internet back then) I calmed down and began to "experience" beekeeping. Instead of getting frantic or emotional when I found a queenless hive I took it as an opportunity to try the proven methods of getting them a new queen. I don't know maybe I am rambling....I hope you decide to get them, I think from your posts you will love the hobby. :)

[iddee]

>>>we all do it differently and we all think we do it the right way.<<<

You should say we all do it the right way, not think we do. We all have different goals, different climates, different bees. We do it the way that works. That is the right way.

Example... A guy asked me a question last week. I explained what he should do. He replied: "So that's how you do it". I said "no, I keep bees for a different reason then you. That is what you should do for the way you keep bees".

Ozark, go into beekeeping to have fun and learn a thing or two about a fascinating little creature. They are much more resistant than you can imagine. You will do fine if you just relax and enjoy them.