Just when you think you got it all figured out

Yes, when you finally think you got it all figured out, the universe steps in to humble you and knock you back down to your knees.  I'm really getting good at this humbling thing and the knees are getting sore : )

Today was moving day for the final group of bees in our backyard.  The Nuc had quite a few bees and they were beginning to become an annoyance due to their cantankerous attitudes.  Unless I wore protective covering, I couldn't work in the backyard or mow the lawn.  Time for another road trip to transport them to the Bee Farm.    I stapled #8 hardware wire over the entrance and placed the Nuc into a large plastic container.  Once they were in the plastic  container, it hid the nuc/hive from those in the air (except one...) so they could be loaded into the truck without flying escorts.

Everything seemed nice and smooth and I was getting a little over confident.  Once I got to the Bee Farm, the container was carried over to the new bench behind the hives.  When I opened the plastic container, the box was full of bees .... apparently there was a back door I missed or they found a way to squeeze around the stapled hardware cloth.  No matter, in a minute they will be sitting on the stand in their new location.

I haven't used these Nucs except when they were installed, so I really didn't think much about what I was doing.  So I gingerly lifted the nuc out of the plastic container and started toward the stand.  The propolis (glue the bees make) stuck the cover to the heavy nuc for a few seconds.  And then the cover separated from the nuc and it crashed to the ground without the cover on as a zillion angry bees came bubbling out !  As I stood there with only the cover in my hands, my brain registered the fact the the lip of the cover IS NOT a handle.  What started off sooooo smooth ended up in complete chaos.  Just add this to the long list of lessons learned the hard way.   As usual, quite humbling once again.

Needless to say I didn't stick around and after getting the Nuc positioned on the stand I quickly retreated to my truck surrounded by a paparazzi of bees that desperately wanted to let me know how very unhappy they were with my clumsy actions.  Not that I blame them ...