Going in Alone

This is the first time we have opened the hive without the supervision of Don D. It went pretty good. We smoked the bees, added simple syrup and cleaned off the extra honey comb.

The comb was delicious.






We also had our first sting. Ouch!

Mill Springs Bees

First Look

On April 1 we opened up the new hive for the first time. The bees seem to be doing well. The queen was out and laying eggs. We added a feeding tray into the hive. We filled it with sugar water to be sure the bees had plenty to eat while they are getting used to the new area.





This was the first time I had been in the hive area with the bees flying around. It was nerve racking. We smoked the bees which is supposed to calm them down. They are still every where. Landing on you. Its wild.

I asked Don D if bees could smell fear?

He said, "oh definitely."





Mill Springs Bees

Bring out your dead!

Honey bees are very clean. Bees work very hard to maintain a clean and healthy hive.

When bees die, worker bees carry them outside the hive a drop them.





If a bee feels sick, she will fly away to die so she does not contaminate the hive.

Bees take a flight to poop! No pooping in the hive.

Bee Delivery

On March 26th, Don D delivered the bees in the new hive. He went, with Jake, to pick up the bees somewhere in north GA. The bees came in a small container that looks like this.



The queen arrived in a container that looks like this.



It has a sugar plug that the other bees eat to access her. It takes a couple of days to get to the queen. This time allows the bees to become familiar with the queen's scent.

When the hive arrived, it was filled with a few hundred bees. By the end of summer there should be a few thousand little ladies!





More pictures here.

Hive Construction

A week prior to the bees arriving at school Michael A, Michael G and several students built a secure area for the bee hive to be. Here is what we have built.

The beeg idea (Fall 2011)

A few months ago at grandparents day, Don Durocher, Jake's grandfather and bee enthusist, offered to donate a honey hive to Mill Springs. We accepted! Since that time we have been extensively planning and constructing an area for the bees to live (next blog).

During the planning process, we researched and answered many questions regarding legal and safety concerns of having a bee hive. We worked closely with Robert, Mr. Durocher, Mr. Dunn and the Mill Springs attorneys to be sure this was a safe and legal project. We also researched other schools and community organizations that have bee hives.

Throughout this process we will be continuing to be educated and to educate others about the bee hive.

Follow the links to some pictures.

Mill Springs Bees