Honeybee Rescue!

Yesterday I got a phone call. My friend Teresa, was doing a couple of errands, then going to a couple of garage sales. Even though I was in the middle of cleaning and rearranging, which is what I was going to post about today, I stopped everything, and went with her. Just after three garage sales I got another phone call. A local excavating company, Feightner's, was tearing down a house, and there were honeybees in the wall. WERE, because the house was down and the bees were EVERYWHERE! They did not want the bees to be destroyed and wondered if I could save them. So, the boys I watch (Vinh & Teng) and my friend (Teresa) and I headed back home to get my beekeeping equipment. Then, as an afterthought, I asked Teresa if she wanted to help. "Sure! It'll be an adventure." She said. I think she's a natural beekeeper, she was so brave. She walked right in that construction site full of bees and started helping!

Teresa, Me, and Jack, assessing the situation. Notice he isn't suited up. He knows that honeybees don't usually sting unless they feel threatened. There were different piles of bees all over the place.

I had this cardboard nuc box that I was putting the bees in. Check out the cement block covered with bees. Can you believe in all of that rubble, I found the queen? That was a gift from God. It's hard to spot a queen in a hive, let alone in a big pile like this one! I needed a new queen for one of my hives. A few posts back I wrote about how I was concerned about one of my hives. Well, these bees went into that hive.

That's Jack in the background excavating what was left of a house, while Teresa and I searched for honeybees!

We had to hurry. We were afraid he was going to pick us up and throw us in the dumpster!

This is some honeycomb that had fallen out of the house. So sad that the nurse bees are still nursing their brood. They just don't give up. They are all snuggly in a hive on our land now. I hope they stayed. I'll let you know in a couple of days.

As for my original posting idea....what's better...a honeybee rescue or a clean, rearranged house? (Don't answer that Mom!)

But I do need throw in a couple of things. First of all, I got a free crow pattern from Crows in the Attic Primitives. I entered a give away and did not win, but she didn't want any losers!
http://www.crowsintheatticprimitives.blogspot.com/
http://www.annabellesattic.blogspot.com/
Thanks again for my crow pattern!

And secondly, Saturday, from 10 - 4, is the Howard County Master Gardeners Tenth Mid-Summer Garden Stroll. Because it's the tenth anniversary, they are having some extra special events. Besides going through seven gardens, they are going to have artists booths at each garden. Here is an example of one of the artists stuff. Click on the album labeled "garden stuff." (I have to have that ladybug - HAVE TO)

http://www.picturetrail.com/rstedder1298@yahoo.com

Plus my Granny Bee friends will be there

www.picturetrail.com/bethsmainstreetfolkart.com

There will also be cookies and punch, a lemonade stand, and a plant sale. A lot of fun stuff for one day. Grab some friends and have a fun Saturday.

Cindy