Denny and the Bees

It was I think close to two years ago that my phone rang and a man identifying himself as Denny said he wanted to buy a beehive or two, and asked could I help him. My friend Laurie Begg had told him I may be able to help him.

Now this was around the time my friend Harry in La Souef Rd. had suddenly died in his sleep. Harry had two beehives which in recent times I had helped him with getting off the honey and extracting it. After Harry died his widow Hannah offered me the beehives which I declined explaining I had more than I could comfortably handle but that I would help her if I could to manage them until she could arrange a sale.

Denny seemed like the perfect solution so I told Hannah of his desire to buy beehives and a deal was tentatively agreed that Denny would buy Hannah's bees and equipment at an all in price which was low but reasonable in the circumstances.

Hannah was happy about this and all was well until one night I was in the bath and Lib brought me the phone with Hannah's daughter Sue on the other end. Sue lives in Cairns and expressed her dissatifaction at the proposed sale of the beehives, her reason being that the season was about to start and surely Hannah should have the benefit of the honey. I backed right off and said hey I have no motive other than solving Hannah's problem and I would tell Denny the bees were no longer for sale. I also said I wouldn't have time probably to look after the bees for Hannah into the future. Someone else took the bees away eventually and I have no knowledge of the where with all.

Denny accepted this no prob, but asked me could I come and look at his beehive as he didn't really know anything. He offered to pay me, I said bugger that and looked through his hive with him and told him I'd help him get going. I actually took some frames of honey off for him and extracted it while I was doing mine, so we are talking about summer 2010/2011. I told Denny if I came across other beehives I'd let him know, he was so keen to get into it.

My phone rang again about 9 months ago, the caller being a lady who lived in Officer, who no longer wanted her beehive, the reason being that she had developed an allergy to stings and her husband, a doctor, was insisting she get rid of it. Now this may well be the truth. However, I'd been told, by a 100% reliable source, that the property in question was about to be subdivided into 80, yes eighty, residential blocks and the vendor was to to receive a price into the many millions. I had helped this lady move her beehive from Menzie's Creek some years previously and then did the helpful honey extract and bee management thing as a 'Freebie' for awhile, until she kept ringing me with questions. I suggested she ring the Apiarist's ass. for updated info but she said no that would cost her $2 per minute on the phone. At that point our relationship suffered a serious rift as she realized, I think, I was somewhat offended. Don't get me wrong, she's a delightful lady, full of goodwill and good intention, but every beekeeper could tell you a similar story I'm sure.

When the lady in Officer rang and offered me her beehive, I said I didn't want it, but I knew a bloke who did. I said I'd need to come and look at the hive and plan for picking it up. I rang her late last winter or early spring saying I was coming. The return phone call was from Mt. Hotham where she was on a skiing holiday. The bottom box on the hive when I did call in was rotten. I had to come back and replace it ( Denny gave me a box). Then I came back yet again with Denny to move the hive back to his place.

Denny is of Chechslovakian origin and we have become friends. Through all this mucking around you will be happy to know that I had some recompense. Just when I was short of magnolia grandiflora foliage, there was a hedge of it at Denny's, that Denny was more than happy for me to prune.

Denny's wife rang me on Thursday, Denny was worried about his bees. Could I come and have a look? I did yesterday. I have never seen anything like it in March. Denny had built up to six hives and two have starved, the rest are on the brink. Almost unbelieveable. The hives were totally dry- no honey at all- no stores for the coming winter. Denny has been feeding sugar syrup the last two weeks, if he hadn't he would have lost more. Amazingly again, just when I needed herb flowers there was plenty at Denny's that he was happy for me to take.

 I haven't checked my bees for a couple of months, when I looked there was no honey to extract. If mine are as bad as Denny's then it is a disaster I have not had to contemplate for about thirty years when I last had to feed bees.

Far out man.