Bees in the Antipodes: July 2007

Saturday, July 7, 2007

a box of bees

Well, it has been awhile I know, but I am now back in the land of bees after acouple of months recovering from two hip replacement operations - no more pain !

While I have been lying around I have done a huge amount of reading, alot of it bee related and this is one of the gems I found. It being a New Zealand book of poems made it all the more special - I had to buy it.

The author, Emily Dobson, is from a family of beekeepers in the Hawkes Bay which is situated in the North Is of NZ. The family has been keeping bees for many years with her Great-Grandfather starting the business.

Here is a web site if you would like to read more .. http://www.victoria.ac.nz/vup/2005titleinformation/boxofbees.htm

Bees on board at last !!

I set my first hive, Miro, up at the back of my friends house at the beginning of Oct 2006. Looking fantastic with the swarm my beekeeper friend gave me, in the brand new brood box and spare on top, I am one proud beekeeper at last. One month later, they swarmed !!! Not enough room was diagnosed and a smaller half-depth box put on . Luckily the little darlings had only swarmed over the fence into the grapefruit tree. Captured and I have 2 hives - both doing very well, so well in fact that I have put a 3/4 box on both hives over the last 2 weeks. At last the necter flow is happening - lots of pollen also being brought into both Miro and Matai.