On our property in Dartmouth we have a small cottage in the back which has been neglected and is in need of desperate repair. I am guessing that it originally was a home for the estate’s servants. I had named it “St. Ann’s Hive”. In the cottage is a dusty old statue of Saint Ann, and also in there were 100,000 plus honey bees. I say "were" because last week the bees relocated with the help of Jeff Cook, a bee-keeper, and have been given a more appropriate home.
These honey bees have lived in the cottage for years, and have at times stung gardeners mowing too close. I would only venture within ten feet of the place since there were always hundreds of busy bees hovering around it.
Jeff enjoys the sweet hobby of bee-keeping and has stacks of hives in his backyard in nearby Dighton. It was an incredible site to bee-hold according to Jeff as he described opening up the inside walls of the house to expose the hive. He said that it was five feet long and several feet wide (see photos). Using a special vacuum he suctioned the bees into an enclosed box to transport them to his property.
We are grateful that these honey-bees have a new home, especially since this type of bee plays a key role in pollination. A bonus to the adventure are several jars of honey which we hope to serve to our guests.
Thanks to Jeff, I can now call the place “St. Ann’s Future Guest Cottage”.
