Bees have arrived

OK I know it's been sometime since my last post, I have been sitting impatiently waiting for bees, landlady said no to me keeping bees so I've moved to a bee friendly landlord:)

I think my bee supplier dreaded my calls, his breeder was struggling, but eventually he came up trumps with a beekeeper with a few nucs.
So on Wednseday off I drove to darkest Kent for a 8.30 pick up, bees were ready and waiting and soon loaded for the journey home, I had visions of making the travel bulletin, "M25 closed as beekeeper is attacked by car full of bees", but actually it was pretty uneventful except for one bee that hitched a ride all the way home!

My hitch hiker


Once home it was time to transfer the colony from the Nuc Box to the hive, now where did I put all the gear I needed!

I was hoping to take a few more photos but hey I'm a man and just getting the bees in hive was

enough of a task! :)

Bees are looking less than impressed, well they should calm down, or will they? I was told they were calm bees, very gentle, so why did three of them get stuck in my hair later in the day whilst I was watching the activity around hive. Me thinks BBQ's in the garden will be interesting, perhaps I need a sign on gate - BEE WARE ATTACK BEES :)

Or perhaps they are just trying to tell me time for a hair cut?

Well I am told I need to leave them alone for a week, but worried no sign of pollen going into hive, no pollen means Queenie isn't laying, this beekeeping is stressful! Will have to wait until I can open hive to see if all is well.