Removing the Queen Excluder
Dec. 16th, 2011 02:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
multipurposegoddessI should've done that a long time ago, it had quite a bit of wax built up on it. Oh well. The bees look healthy and they've got a nice store of what looks like lovely honey. I maybe could have harvested, but I feel good about my decision to let them keep it all for the hive's first winter. It's all mild and eucalyptus reaping time now, but who knows what January will bring. I can always harvest in the spring if there's a lot of capped honey.
I need to remember two things for next time that I am doing something more major than checking frames . First, make sure Walter is not curled up in the grass a few feet from the hive. Once I get the bees all riled up they are apt to go after him, poor puppy. He may have been stung today, it's hard to tell, but I couldn't find any swelling or tender spots. Hopefully his fur stymied them. Gave him a Benedryl just in case, and I'll give him another in a bit. Second, remember to use the smoker, that is what it's for and it really does make a difference. Dumbass.
I need to remember two things for next time that I am doing something more major than checking frames . First, make sure Walter is not curled up in the grass a few feet from the hive. Once I get the bees all riled up they are apt to go after him, poor puppy. He may have been stung today, it's hard to tell, but I couldn't find any swelling or tender spots. Hopefully his fur stymied them. Gave him a Benedryl just in case, and I'll give him another in a bit. Second, remember to use the smoker, that is what it's for and it really does make a difference. Dumbass.