Grumpy Bees

Did you know that honey bees get grumpy on cloudy days?

And don’t plan on opening their hive when it’s raining…….it would be rude and they would make sure you regretted it.

I’m getting into stride with my regular hive-care.

Our rainy season is here in sub-tropical Florida.

I had forgotten about the “grumpy-bee syndrome”……………..but they enthusiastically reminded me of it.

They are happy bees when it is sunny (not too windy)-(no rain)-(no clouds)………………like I said, sunny…….

…….(I’ve re-discovered that I can still muster a Quarter horse sprint when necessary)…….

I’ve got the tools and “bells & whistles” that are necessary for basic honey-bee-husbandry…

I am disappointed that I’m not better at keeping my smoker going………

(…….that’s a hard thing for a pyromaniac to admit…….)

…I’m working on it…

I’ve Yahoo’d and YouTube’d it…………….and apparently I’m not the only one out there with this smoke-less smoker-disorder…

And with grumpy bees, a healthy/billowing smoker is a MUST!

It rocks the little buzzers back on their heels and makes them temporarily forget that they ALL want to sting you.

I’m not 100% sure how it works.

I’m fairly sure the smoke makes them think that they have to protect their hive and stay close to their honey and their brood…….

…….while at the same time leaving me alone……….

……….until the %$@#$%^& smoker goes out and you’re up to your armpit in their hive caught like a four year old with her hand in the cookie jar..

Oops!……….

Hence the need for a well-working, well-primed, well-billowing smoker…….

I’ve gotta get better at this…….

I can get it going…….

I just haven’t mastered the art of keeping it going…….

Especially when my hand’s in the cookie jar…….

P.S.~~~~~I feel quite certain that when it comes to harvesting honey—–my honey will have a distinctly smoky taste.

Swamp Hag