Bringing Home the Bees

Sadly, last year all of the bees being brought to Stillwater on the first load died. It was quite a complicated story, involving a snowstorm, an accident and then the final demise from overheating. Transporting the bees seems to have become an adventurous and dangerous journey. This year our bees were held up on the highway because of a hostage situation and then after finally arriving, a black bear decided to investigate the situation. However, when we arrived last night to pick up our precious adopted little ones, they were safe and secure. I can’t help but show you once again the sophisticated sign that marks the pick-up location.

The whole crew was out—ready and willing to help us load and leave.

It always makes me chuckle when beekeepers tell what the bees are thinking. How do they know that? Last night, one beekeeper was warning me to be careful walking around the bees in my black fleece. She said, “The bees think you are a black bear and might come after you.”

Doesn't look like much but that is about 80,000 bees that we are bringing home to hive.

In celebration of my birthday, we took the time last night to dine at Nacho Mamas in the gorgeous and quaint city of Stillwater, MN. The food was yummy! I will probably pay for it all week. Yes, yes, I digress. . .to continue with the bee story. . . we arrived all intact.

Kevin met us and was a big help. Installing the bee packages is sort of a messy job. The bees are like children so eager and excited to be out and free and able to fly around and explore their new homes. They’ve had a long trip from California where they last were free to fly. For more on installing the packages, see here.

No bees got in our bonnets but plenty were on them.

I love our bee yards. Tim and Nancy’s is particularly beautiful, a real paradise for bees—and for people, too.