Sawzall in hand, I stood at the ready position. My next door neighbor, Jared, was acting as videographer, ready to capture the youtube video of a horrible mishap that will make me posthumously famous. Bees, power equipment, slick grass, intermittent drizzle, what could go wrong? Mercifully, the phone rang. “This is Crorey.” “Are you theContinueContinue reading “Which way did she go?”
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Bee-ing in the Delta
28 March, 2020. The light from the pre-dawn sunrise just started to touch the horizon as I entered the Mississippi Delta region. Cup of McD coffee in hand, smile on my face, I am headed to retrieve bees from a farm in Valley Park, Mississippi. Earlier this week, Kathe came into my office while IContinueContinue reading “Bee-ing in the Delta”
Straightforward. Yeah, right.
“WHY would I use the word ‘straightforward’ in ANY sentence involving beehive removal work??” I stared at the wall, hoping solutions would appear. Solutions failed to appear. I stared some more. Solutions persisted in their absence. The job was supposed to be relatively straightforward. My boss at the Corps had a hive that had shownContinueContinue reading “Straightforward. Yeah, right.”
Learning to Bee, Still
“My bees don’t read the same books I do.” My mentor was making a joke, but every time I do something with my girls, I find it to be true. I am a novice beekeeper and I make honest mistakes. Some of them are interesting (did I really just introduce a second queen into aContinueContinue reading “Learning to Bee, Still”
Reputation
Sometimes, it is a good thing to be known for your work. When I was first trying to get into beekeeping, I talked to anyone I could find, trying to get the word out that I would pick up swarms and re-home them. I gave out my phone number, I made up cards and handedContinueContinue reading “Reputation”
Love on the Battlefield
The setting of the National Cemetery at the Vicksburg National Military Park is one of the most peaceful ones imaginable. The rolling loess hillside, graves in neat rows, each section terraced to provide a continuity among the gathered dead. Oak trees, expanded to their full canopied width. Magnificent magnolia trees, filled with heady blossoms. AncientContinueContinue reading “Love on the Battlefield”
Recent Arrival
“How long has the hive been there?”Whenever I am answering a request to do a honeybee hive removal for someone, I have a series of questions I ask. Did you spray them? How high are they? Are they aggressive? Are they getting inside?I just added the question above to my list, because the answer canContinueContinue reading “Recent Arrival”
Pretender to the Throne
She has no claim on this throne, but she went in, nevertheless.2 queens, 2 cages, 3 nurse bees to help out. $37.50 each.Last Saturday, I bought a nucleus hive and two queens from my mentor. (A recent flood had taken out a bunch of his ‘nucs’, and he only had one that he could sellContinueContinue reading “Pretender to the Throne”
The Beverly Carol – a B&B&B
It seems as though working at heights is my go-to job now. Once again, I had a bee removal effort in Vicksburg, where the elevation of the job just gave me pause. The entrance to this hive at the Beverly Carol – a historic home in the downtown area of Vicksburg, was high on theContinueContinue reading “The Beverly Carol – a B&B&B”
Duff Green Removal, Part 2 (Or How I learned to avoid the sting and love the bomb.)
So most of the time, when I get a call to remove bees, it is because the bees have begun to migrate inside the house.Not this time.This was the second hive removal from Duff Green, and the one that I was most worried about. With the first removal, I was able to stand, kneel, sit,ContinueContinue reading “Duff Green Removal, Part 2 (Or How I learned to avoid the sting and love the bomb.)”
Company Bee Blog 