# You aren't going to believe this!!!!!



## Michael W. Smith (Jun 2, 2002)

You know the ad I put in the paper? Well, I just got a call late this morning asking about the ad in the paper about bees. 

"An Amish guy lived here, but he moved out, and there is a bee hive here, do you want it? I asked him if he was sure it was a bee hive. "Well, I think it is, it's white about 18" X 18" X 2' high." I told him, well yes, it does sound like a bee hive.

I'm thinking "How lucky am I? This guy has a bee hive, and I need more hives, so this is great!" Then what he said next floored me.

"Well, there are lots of bees coming and going from it." Huh? What's that?
I ask, "You mean there are honey bees IN it?" "Oh yeah" he says. "I certainly don't want them."

I make a run over to see for myself. I met him at the local firehall and I followed him to the house. We pull in, and I thinking, "I don't see a bee hive anywhere."

We walk down below the house, and in a fenced in area in grass that is higher than the bee hive, I see the roof. As he said, honey bees are coming and going. 

I suit up to take a closer look, as I want to pull the grass away from around it to see what kind of shape the hive is in. I don't know how the girls were coming and going - deep tall grass all around the hive. I pull some of the gras from around the front - and that got the girls stirred up. Instead of a hidden entrance that they had, they now have a wide open entrance, and they fly around me investigating just what I'm doing. I walk completely around the hive, stepping on the tall grass so I can see what kind of shape the hive is in. It's in perfect condition! All I have to do is go over at night, put screen on the entrance, put a strap around the hive so it doesn't shift and load it up.

I said "Yeah, I'll take these I say." "Well that's good." he says. "I was going to pour kerosene over it and set it on fire until I saw your ad."

There is a hive and a super on it and I didn't pop the lid off, because I didn't want to "break any seals" the bees have. It seems this guys brother had rented the house to the Amish for 3 years and they moved out earlier this year and left the bees. This guy knows the bees were here last year, so it must be a good hive that they survived the winter on their own.

I still can't believe it!!!!!!


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## postroad (Jan 19, 2009)

Good for you!!


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## katy (Feb 15, 2010)

Lucky you, but since it's full of bees, I guess you still need more hives ? Way to go. Maybe there are more hives out there.....


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

wow i wished i was that lucky--happy for you though.


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## Gailann Schrader (May 10, 2002)

That is the best news ever for that hive. 

I hear this off and on - "I was going to pour gasoline/bug killer/kerosene on them..." But on an active, real hive? Wow.

I'm very jazzed you got them!

With all the press, I'm constantly surprised that the public still wants to kill honeybees. I love my bees.

Great catch for you!!!!


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## Sunmo (Dec 29, 2004)

Lucky You, Mike...

All anyone ever wants to give me is a hard time....


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## margali (Jan 14, 2011)

Gailann Schrader said:


> That is the best news ever for that hive.
> 
> I hear this off and on - "I was going to pour gasoline/bug killer/kerosene on them..


Yep all people do is kill! A swarm landed here at work (fenced in manufacturing plant). Wouldn't call a beekeeper because that would be a breach of security. Wouldn't let me try either. 

I don't have equipment yet plan was build hive this year and get bees the next. I live 10 minutes from Dadant and could have gotten bee suit at lunch.. The swarm was in an old junction box nailed to a post. I could have taped the hole shut and taken the whole box. They sprayed them and their all dead. :l


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## Gailann Schrader (May 10, 2002)

oh, no. that's horrible... poor things... 

people are so misinformed...


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## AverageJo (Sep 24, 2010)

Here in Illinois I believe it is illegal to kill honeybees!! But I wonder if folks know that... sigh... 

Congratulations on your hive!! Makes me want to put an ad in the paper!!


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## marytx (Dec 4, 2002)

Michael, that is so very cool. Good luck with your new hive.


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## rean (Nov 18, 2008)

I'm not a beekeeper, but I do drill it in to my grandson's head, not to stomp on bees. He was petrified of them until I sat with him real still and watched them. Wasps, they are a different story!


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## Michael W. Smith (Jun 2, 2002)

I went over lastnight to get the bees. Was a bit worried how it would go.

I got the scrren over the entrance fairly easily and got it stapled. The bees were NOT very happy. I tried to have my 13 year old son lift the hive with me, but he said he couldn't (after one try) so the guy there (in shorts only - and here I am comletely suited up) helped me lift it into the bed of the pickup. Only he grabbed the lid when we started to lift, and broke the seal. Several bees came out from the top, but we closed the lid and got it loaded.

One bee made it into my veil and stung me on the nose. One bee stung the guy on the thumb after we had it loaded. And my Mother-in-Law sitting in the truck as we loaded it got stung on the thumb as well because one bee got into the truck window. But other than that, I got them packed up.

And the guy found in the shed another super and frames so he gave me that as well. Plus their rabbit had babies about 5 weeks ago, and again this week, so my son took 4 of the oldest babies (giving them away for free too!)

Got home and the bees were pretty riled up from the ride, so just left the truck sit and will unload them this morning. But a pretty good deal overall, from a an ad in the local paper (for free as well) - and I end up being given a full hive with bees and two supers AND 4 rabbits.


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## KSALguy (Feb 14, 2006)

cant beat that with a stick can you, wouldnt mind comming accrost something like that down here lol ,


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## OkieDavid (Jan 15, 2007)

Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug..... Nice catch and sounds like you made a friend as well. It would be nice to take him a pint of "his honey" as a token of thanks once you harvest.


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## Michael W. Smith (Jun 2, 2002)

OkieDavid said:


> ..... Nice catch and sounds like you made a friend as well. It would be nice to take him a pint of "his honey" as a token of thanks once you harvest.


Yep, I already promised him some honey once I get some harvested. But in all honesty, I'm not sure who thinks they got the "better" deal.

I was elated to be able to go pick up a free hive and 2 supers with bees - and save them from extermination.

On the other hand, he was elated to get rid of them from his yard, and doesn't have to worry about them anymore.

But I'm still surprised that the general public still doesn't know about the plight of the honey bee and how beekeepers are having such a hard time due to mites, disease, and colony collapse. I hope I did my part to educate them.


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## wolffeathers (Dec 20, 2010)

Michael W. Smith said:


> But I'm still surprised that the general public still doesn't know about the plight of the honey bee and how beekeepers are having such a hard time due to mites, disease, and colony collapse. I hope I did my part to educate them.


I think many people simply don't care. My inlaws are fearful of bees, but of course bees are any kind of stinging aggressive insect. They are amazed at the "bee whisperer" that stands within 30ft of the hives and not get stung to death immediately.

When people are fearful of something, they aren't keen to save it.

It's a shame. I think if people were more educated on the benefits of bees and just how docile they are, that fear will be diminished.


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