 |
Top-bar Bee Hives, Two
the bowl, pour in the mash, cover with a lid or towel, stir it occasionally, wait a day or two; and then pour your golden honey into jars. I usually let the bees finish off the residues of honey that remain on the way by putting it into a bowl or bucket outside. Then, the wax can be melted to use in other things such as soaps, salves, balms, wood finishes, et cetera.
Bees can be purchased from apiaries. If you go this route, make sure to get on the waiting list early in the year, as they sell out quick. Another free alternative is catching swarms. Call your local fire-department, police station, and county extension agent. Let them know that you will catch swarms if they get calls. You in turn will get lots of calls. I usually catch 8-10 swarms a year, turning away as many in the process.
Catching a swarm is fairly straight forward. Bees spray with poison, bees high in trees, bees in attics or walls are not worth your trouble. Ask how big the ball of bees is. You want to make sure it is a swarm and not just busily working bees. It should be between the size of a football and a basketball. With your protective gear, take a hive box and place it underneath the swarm. If the swarm is on bushes or small branches of a tree, you can cut the branch and the swarm will fall into the box. You need to put the bars on it, but leave a few off, so that the scouting bees can find their queen. Heavily smoke the area where the bees were. Observe for about half an
|
|
