I enjoy my beekeeping but with too many colonies it can become a bit of a chore. These are selected highs and lows:-
Best bits
Queens start to lay - always a pleasure.
Actually predicting correctly what the bees are going to do when you're not sure.
When beekeepers ring up wanting a queen bee and I tell them they don't need one yet and they call me back a week or two later after their queen has started to lay to say thank you!
Worst bits
Extracting honey - esp dealing with OSR.
Collecting a swarm from one of my hives because I hadn't had time to inspect them a few days earlier.
Faffing about with wax.
Annoying bits
People ringing up wanting bumblebees removed and having to be polite.
Dealing with spamming attempts to join the forum - often from Russia. (Patrick and I deal with these all the time!).
Any others?
Best bits
Queens start to lay - always a pleasure.
Actually predicting correctly what the bees are going to do when you're not sure.
When beekeepers ring up wanting a queen bee and I tell them they don't need one yet and they call me back a week or two later after their queen has started to lay to say thank you!
Worst bits
Extracting honey - esp dealing with OSR.
Collecting a swarm from one of my hives because I hadn't had time to inspect them a few days earlier.
Faffing about with wax.
Annoying bits
People ringing up wanting bumblebees removed and having to be polite.
Dealing with spamming attempts to join the forum - often from Russia. (Patrick and I deal with these all the time!).
Any others?
May your bees read the same books as you do.