Honey Bees

So in the mail just arrived photos of me catching a large swarm of honey bees. Sent to me by this hero neighbor man whom witnessed, documented, and rescued me in so many ways. Looking at these spring photos reminds me of that very fateful day, rudely awaken from my state of arrogance coupled with ignorance. A very steep learning curve for me, humbled on a mountain ladder by the presence of bees. I gained the needed respect for these beings that did not come from walking thru the eye of a bee swarm. I learned more than words could express. Long of the short, I had to brush bees off my neck with a soft natural bristled brush, and not one sting. Yes, not one sting; And not that I did not deserve at least one. My children still laugh about mommy running around with bees on her neck. Ha,ha. I fumbled my way from start (falling off the ladder!) to finish (taping up the box wrong). I only noticed the box was mistakenly taped up when I looked in the rear view mirror at my children, and in silent horror I saw a bee flying around the hatchback window. I'm still a "newbee" to the whole process, but for a backyard homestead I recommend a top bar bee hive, to help the bees in more ways than one. My best advice is to buy a proper bee suit. Find a local bee expert, make your own/ build a hive, or buy a golden mean hive, rescue swarms via bee swarm list, be smart and not afraid.