Last Thursday, Heritage became home to two new hives of bees. A dedicated bee keeper for the past few years, Pablo built top-bar style hives for our new insect residents, and is nearly done with the shelter (to elevate the hives above the ground, where they can become damp from morning dew, and protect them from rain). The hives have been particularly active during sun breaks over the past few days, and it has been neat to see honeybees on flowers out in the fields when we are working. Today we planted a bed of flowers next to the hives, ensuring the bees a nearby snacking source come summer.
Pablo opens the box in which the bees arrived, while Jim supervises from a safe distance. "Hiving" the bees provided great on-farm entertainment. Note Pablo's professional bee-keeper outfit.
Once the bees have been shaken into the hive, a small capsule containing the queen is suspended inside. The workers then chew through a small plug made of sugar in the capsule, eventually releasing her.
Jim and Sarah do their best bee impression to make our new residents feel at home.
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