My mentor gave me a nuc at the later part of the season last year. It was started too late in the year and ended up hopping on the Jesus train this winter. The nuc is still outside and we went out yesterday and saw 30-40 bees "visiting" it. I am hoping that a swarm will take up residence sometime this spring. This is the first time I have got to be around bees without protection. Anyway, as they were robbing out the leftover honey we thought we would see if we could hold them without getting stung. I know robbing is not something one would want to encourage but there wasn't that much left in the nuc and I know that it is common to set out "wet" frames or extractors and let the bees clean them up. So I felt it was ok.
This is a video of my son opening up the nuc. We already had been in the nuc several time before this video was done. They were very gentle and never acted like we were there. I was very proud of him for being so brave and keeping his movements very slow.
I was able to hold a frame and watch them work around on the frame, all w/out gloves or veil. The following is a couple of pics of my wife, son and I letting them eat some of the honey off our fingers. She through me for a loop when she said she didn't care to do it.They were surprisingly gentle.
This is what they looked like hurrying in and out of the entrance.
This was so much fun and I can't wait until I can have some permanently. I am a little extra excited as well because my wife has show and interest in them now.
Thanks for reading, until next time.
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