I have really not gotten anything done since my last post. I have had rains that kept me from working in the yard getting the equipment cleaned. Nor have I gotten the back yard totally cut all at the same time. I have a personal problem called overweight. I have not been able to cope with the temperature. So my excuses are too wet or too hot or too humid.

The swarm that I still have in the messed up boxes is still there. I looked outside today and I saw a lot of bees hanging on the box and more had bearded the front and side of the stack. I called my wife to see what appeared to be bees flying all over the place as in a swarm.

I had to get another box ready and set it next to the stack of brood boxes and raked about 2 pounds of bees onto the landing board of the new box. I had hoped that they would decide to go in and make the decision to move there with the swarm. Didn’t happen. I looked later (about 15 minutes) and noticed that there was only about 15-20 on the outside of the old stack. I went out to see if they were still around and maybe in the new box. I saw them up in the popcorn tree that was hanging over my back fence. Good, I could catch them and put them in the new box and take them to another location.

I located my bucket with the extension pole on it, but discovered that the pole was bent and would not extend. Now that is a kick in the rear. Another pole will have to be purchased so I can use the bucket, but now I will just have to let nature take its course and forget the swarm.

About 25 minutes later, I saw a bee beard on the old stack again and went to investigate. The swarm was not in the tree anymore and was probably back at the original location. That was when I decided to take some pictures.

I am sorry to say that my photography skills are not the best in the county and I am having technical difficulties in pasting them to this post. David, my missionary son in Mexico, who is now visiting South Texas with his family and having vehicle problems, is my photo/computer guru. So I will have to wait till he is available to help me paste the photos of the bees to my post. It may be some time before that happens. However, Bettie suggested that I get up early in the morning while it is still cool and transfer the bees to the new box. I will take some pictures as I go and hope that I can get them posted in the near future. I will let you know how the transfer went soon.