Last week we discovered not one, but two small swarms of bees in an
oak tree in our side yard. It took some phone calls to the county
extension service and then to a couple of bee guys, but Thursday
evening Don, a bee wrangler from the county seat, showed up to take
care of them for us. D had a work gig that evening, so it was I who
witnessed bee wrangling first hand.

Don hauled a beehive box up our ladder and perched it on the little
paint-bucket shelf. He bent the branch the swarm was on near the open
top and -- WHACK! He rapped the branch sharply on the box, and the
bees plopped inside. Back on the ground, he put the top on.

Some of the bees still wanted back on the branch (apparently they
could smell the queen's scent there), so we eventually had to lop the
branch off to discourage them. Don took the other swarm with him in a
catch box: payment for his services. Next day the bees were still in
our new hive, so it looked like they'd determined to stay.

The plan was to move them to the community garden at a later date. But
this morning we had a lot of rain, and the hive was in a low spot in
the yard. I didn't go out there, but I'm pretty sure the bottom of
the hive had water in it at least some of the day. So after I figured
the bees had gone to bed this evening I moved the hive to the garden.

That's not something I ever thought I'd say. I moved a beehive.
Across town. Tonight.

I stuffed a towel into the slot the bees use to get in and out of the
hive, borrowed a friend's pickup, and called another garden guy for
help. "Okay, I'll help move it, but I'm allergic."

Great. "Allergic like you go into anaphylactic shock if you're
stung?"

"No, but I get really sick."

I suggested that he only watch and advise, and he agreed.

I hoisted the hive onto the truck bed and laid a couple of hammers on
the towel to keep it steady. Off to the garden I went. Ole modom,
haulin' bees. Bee haulin' man, listening to Hank Williams on the
radio, truckin' bees to the vegetable patch. Just like he knew what
he was doing, which he didn't.

My allergic help followed in his car. Then as night started falling
for real, we decided where the bees should be (not too close to
gardeners) and I heaved the hive off the truck and set it in place.

I wonder if the bees are still there? I saw one enter the hive
tonight before the move, but if it got unpleasant enough in there this
morning, I could see them deciding to relocate after the storm.

We'll know tomorrow.
--

modom