Boy! were they great. Jane, my dog, crawled into bed with me and the cats (I have 8) so I was wide awake to enjoy them. The beehives are still standing and since the bees come from Georgia, it shouldn't phase them. They don't fly in the rain so it will be a day of cleaning, making comb, sealing the hive with propolis. Some of the hayfield was cut and baled so yesterday they must have gone out the entrance and thought "whoa, who took the clover?" I am sure they quickly found more. The rain means the clover in front of them will grow faster. It might be time to add a honey super to the Langstroth hives. I prefer to use shallow supers because the weight of a filled deep super is 80 lbs. A filled shallow super is half that and easier for me.
The first time I went out to collect honey, I drove my car out, planning on putting the super into the back. Funny how I forgot to factor in the bees who continue to stay with the honey even if I want it. So that meant a car full of bees- time to find another plan. Now I take out an plastic lidded container and I take frame by frame and brush off the bees while walking away from the hive. Usually the bees give it up at a distance. There are always hanger-ons so I cover the container so they can't get back at it. They will steal it back if left out.
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