Honey Shipping Inc.
A Not So Suitable Home
This hive set up in a shipping container. Unfortunately they didn't consider the summer heat.
A Home Within A Home
The shipping container had been used as storage for furniture that was no longer needed. This old cupboard made a great cavity for the hive to establish themselves in.
Hanging Around
Different Perspective
This was the first relocation we have had that the bees were so kind as to set up in a way where we only had to open a door to gain access to the hive.
Different Perspective
Different Perspective
Different Perspective
Looking up at the hive from underneith shows just how complex the beehive structure can become. The bees are great at slowly filling up all the available space.
I'm Melting
Different Perspective
I'm Melting
In peak summer the tempreture in this shipping container reached the point where the wax comb began to melt. Sometimes this will cause the bees to abandon their home - Heat Swarming - in this case they decided to stick around and rebuild.
Robbers In Action
Robbers In Action
Robbers In Action
Not all the bees in this photo are from this hive. As we started to frame up the comb and put it into the new hive another group of bees appeared and began robbing the existing hive of honey. We now had to work faster to secure the hive and minimise the impact of an invading hive while bees fought battles all around us.
All Secure
Robbers In Action
Robbers In Action
With the comb secured and the queen captured the original hive now had a much smaller entrance to guard which made it much easier for them to repel the invaders.
All Clear
Robbers In Action
All Clear
Once again after a few days having the new hive onsite the bees finish cleaning up the old hive and are now resting peacefully in their new home.