Just got home from picking up two nucs in Amish country about an hour from me. The truck from Massachusetts was delayed and rather than go home & come back at the crack my friend & I opted to hang out & wait. We debated about whether it was better to install tonight vs. tomorrow or in mother day or two…and I went for it tonight.
I have to say, in spite of flashbacks to @Cowgirl’s nighttime inspection incident, it went pretty smoothly. Until the very end. When I crouched down to check the entrance reducer, I got stung through my suit where it was taut across my leg…and my pant leg popped out of my boot
Three or four bees raced up inside right when I stood up, some over my clothes & some under, causing the odd predicament of wondering where it would be less awful to be stung - neck, or crotch?
Amazingly, the only sting I got was the one through my suit. With the others crawling around on my leg, neck and bum, I walked v e r y s l o w l y to my back door, flipped the outside light on, and stood stock still for about five minutes. The guards still flying around me went to the light, so then I gingerly removed my suit & pants, and managed to step inside with no further hassles…
Guess I’ll be off to bed now, so I can wake up & enjoy the sight of bees in my yard once again!
Congrats on the install n sorry about the associated pain ! Bummer.
As for the stings. I’ve always used electrical tap to keep the girls out of my pants n leg access. A couple wraps n it would be near impossible to bees getting in !
Now as for the sting thru the tight fabric … That can happen … I help (assist) in a local Beekeepers school. Someone gets one of those tight clothing stings usually each class or the venting on the gloves.
I’ve purchased one of those thicker vented models. They are a bit pricy but not stung in 1 1/2 seasons when wearing that suit. I’ve gotten a couple with the thinner cotton suits. I have four suits ( 1 full vented, 1full cotton , n 2 1/2 cotton suits. The extra suits are for guests … If the bees are feisty … I only allow the observers in 1/2 suits to watch from a few feet back.
Well, I’ve got to check my Wx station for temps. I need to inspect my four new Nuc’s today if it warms up (into the low to mid 50’s) hopefully.
Thanks Gerald! I always appreciate your encouraging spirit & good will
Good tip about the electrical tape too. Yep, you called it, I have a cheap thin cotton suit with elastic cuffs that didn’t last the season. Forgot about this in my excitement yesterday (also had my socks in my pants pocket so they stayed zipped inside the suit instead of on my feet & up my ankles with cuffs tucked in like they were supposed to!)
Believe it’s time for one of the better suits, since I’ve come this far
Yup, I did manage to allow my compulsive side overrule that advice about install…I worried a bit about raccoons, and as it turned out we had an unexpected & violent thunderstorm with a major downpour - I’d have been lying awake wondering if they’d been flipped, drowned, etc.
