Collin smiled at Kavala. “You seem to really be enjoying them. I figured you’d be afraid. Most people don’t want to get stung.” He admitted, looking the Konti over. He hadn’t seen her around before, but her pavi had him slightly confused. “Are you Drykas?” He asked, looking thoughtful.
“Yes, Denusk Pavilion, Sapphire Clan. My mother was a healer and came to the Grasslands on her call. She did fantastically well there, despite being away from the sea. She came because there was a sickness among my family’s horses. In fact it was back no more than ten years ago… all the Drykas horses were affected. She cured it. She was a Marked Rak’Keli healer of the Opal Order. I’ve followed in her footsteps.” Kavala said, lifting her leathers at the pantleg and showing him her Rak’Keli’s mark. “I don’t fear the stings because I can remove the pain if need be. I hope to minimize getting stung though by just learning about the bees. There’s nothing like first hand knowledge however. I’ve been reading too much from a book and not getting any first hand experience.” She confessed.
The Drykas beekeeper nodded. “It’s okay. I like it that you’ve researched ahead. You ask good questions because of it. Most people come out here with limited knowledge and don’t even know what to ask before they go home. Its good to have some information so you can know what you lack and what gaps you have that need to be filled in.” He added. Leaving the captured hive where it was, Collin lead Kavala around his office and out back where a line of beehives stood in the sun.
“Here we are. We’re going to learn basically everything you need to know to handle the bees first hand. I’m going to take you through getting your safety gear fitted and then we’re going to inspect the hives. Once we do that, we’ll talk about splitting the hives and then I’ll go over how you can introduce your bees to your new hives and keep them there. I’ll send you some loaded brood frames and some honey frames home with you too or at least send them over in a wagon and you can send me your blank extra frames back. That will keep the bees in the hive longer and let you get them settled.” He added.
“But that’s for tomorrow. For today, lets get you in your gear.” He said, gesturing to as small table near the hive that held his equipment. Kavala put her equipment bad down beside the table and unloaded hers as well. She put her hat on with the veil and then slipped her gloves on. Collin showed her how to secure the veil down around her head and shoulders, and then checked her gloves to make sure the cuffs were tight so no bees could climb into the gap between her wrist and the leather. One she was suited up protectively to his specifications, he handed her the smoker, some tinder, and a flint and steel.
Kavala dutifully struck the steel, lit the tinder and then used a small set of tongs to put the tinder in the smoker body and lightly pack it (remembering her lessons from earlier) with enough materials to keep it lit. Collin checked her work, nodded, and then together they walked to the nearest hive in a row of two or three dozen.
“The first thing you need to think about is weather conditions. Don’t inspect on bad days. You don’t want to disturb the hive. Pick a day that’s nice, sunny and early on… right around the tenth bell or a little later. You want that time because the foragers will be out foraging and not at home defending. Never work with them when its chilly outside or on a cloudy day. Always wait for bright sun. They are remarkably more calm when you do.” He added, looking at the Konti to make sure she understood.
Kavala nodded.
“Wear bright clothing, white if you have it, and keep the perfumes and body odor down. Be clean when you work with them but not scented. Don’t wash your hair before working with them. I don’t care what sort of shampoo you use, it will still smell to the bees.” Collin warned.
“Got it. That’s so good to know. When I read about the light clothing and cloudy days it was hard to believe. But I do believe it. Thank you for the warning.” Kavala said, watching everything the beekeeper did.
Kavala kept listening and the beekeeper kept talking. “Always approach the hive with your hive tool, your lit smoker and all your gear on Kavala. Don’t forget anything. And as you approach it, don’t stand in front of it. You’re blocking the flight path of the bees and they get confused coming and going and will often land on you rather than the hive. Instead, stand in the back of the hive. That’s another thing too, Lady. Make sure when you are placing your hives at your facility for the first time you consider that someone will be standing behind them working on them. So give them enough room to let someone walk comfortably around the hive. Never place them against a wall or even in a spot that can get shaded. You want them out where you can really work on them.” He added.
Kavala nodded, making a mental note and already plotting where her next hives were going to be. But Collin chuckled, catching her attention, and then she blushed, realizing she was still holding the smoker. She handed it to Collin, realizing he was gesturing for her to hand it to him.
“Always smoke your hive. Never even consider touching it, unless it’s a swarm, until you smoke it. It does no good to smoke a swarm because they are already full and have nothing to feed on. Smoking a hive makes them hungry and they’ll start calmly feeding and ignoring what your doing as a beekeeper.” Collin said, explaining. Then, slowly, he demonstrated the process of smoking a hive.
He blew three puffs with the smoker into the front of the hive. It seemed to cover the entrances and calm the bees that were there covering the entrances. These were workers masquerading as hive guards. He explained carefully that the smoke would drift up and in two or three chimes the smoke would have calmed the bees and got them to start eating on honey. Once the three minutes were up, Collin moved to the top of the hive and removed the top cover. He had to use the prybar part of the hive tool as the bees had glued the cover on with propolis.
Once the cover was displaced, he pried up the second layer just a little and smoked the inside top cover. Once he did that he dropped it back down and waited a minute o two. Then he removed the top cover again, this time catching the inner cover and lifting that as well. Once he did that, he blew more smoke up and across letting it cascade around the bees on the upper supers.
“Sometimes bees will hang out on the walls and between the inner and outer covers slacking off from their work, I suspect.” Collin said with a twinkle. “I smoke them for extra measure too because they can be really aggressive if they think the hive is being invaded.” Collin explained.
Next he pried the inner cover up and blew more smoke inside. He waited again, then removed the whole top of the hive. He blew smoke down into the frames keeping the bees calm.
“That’s it. Now we’re in the active hive and they aren’t upset.” He said, chuckling. Kavala looked amazed. “Now what? Inspection?” Collin nodded.
