My first minute in the hive, I was stung.
It’s an otherwise innocuous day, the first after a long string of late nights launching this new website. The first day in weeks I’ve had a chance to nurture myself or my hives. But something wasn’t right in the Ann Hive.
Perhaps they’re crowded or hot or moody, but whatever they are it’s not desirous of my presence in their lives today. First the sting, then head-butting, and finally a low threatening hum.
And that’s when I walked away.
So instead of an update on the quite busy Ann Hive, a new colony this year from a B. Weaver nucleus, all I’ve got is this photo. It’s a tarantula hawk wasp, the beautiful blue NM state insect, capturing a wolf spider on my back porch. And if it’s stings we’re worried about, I ended up on the right side of my backyard bargain as the hawk wasp has one of the nastiest stings known to man.
Wasp vs. Spider
mistress beek 
So glad I came across your bee blog! I just became a new beekeeper about 3 weeks ago and was just cruising the net trying to find so helps. I live in SE Colorado – believe our climates are about the same as there in ALB.
I am wondering if you use more of an organic natural way of raising your bees or if you know of someone who does. I am just wondering if there is a different way to do this besides the medications and such that many suggest. That might be a silly and nonsensical way of even thinking on my part!
I am already loving all this bee stuff!
blessings
mary
Congrats on your new hives! And thanks for stopping by.
For chemical-free beekeeping, you might check out these resources:
http://biobees.com/
http://www.biobees.com/forum/
http://beesource.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=251
http://beehuman.blogspot.com/
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Organicbeekeepers/