As we got out of the truck I saw three guys in veils and I wondered, "Ooo, maybe I should have brought mine?" As we walked up to the truck there were bees buzzing around but nothing alarming. The bees loose around the truck were those who had been clinging to the sides of the packages "hanging with their buddies" all the way from Florida! We said "HI" to Dave and his son, confirmed the purchase with Sherry, and then went back out to the truck to get the bees.
I was looking at the boxes and the bees on the outside of the package and saw one that was considerably larger....it was a drone. I picked it up and let it walk on my hand. It was not alarmed so I could really study it. It was very fuzzy and had two very large eyes together on the front of it's head. Of course I didn't worry about getting stung since drones are males and have no stingers. Dave's son went to pick up a worker bee for me but squeezed a little too hard with his glove and it stung the glove tearing it's stinger out. I then picked her up and put her on my hand. Neither the drone or worker wanted to fly away, but were content to just walk around.
Dave's son checked the queens in the boxes to make sure they were alive and well, so we were good to go! I sprayed them with a solution of 1:1 sugar water to feed and help calm them for the trip home. Aaron and I carried them back to the truck and started to head home. Initially, the bees were buzzing in the back seat, but within a couple of miles they calmed down and made no buzzing all the way home...."Good Bees".
At home I showed them to the family: Dawn, Jennifer, Jessica, and her friend Elizabeth. After another feeding I put them to bed. Tomorrow will be a big day: Installation into the hives!
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