Hive placed on table under tree with holes in hive still blocked up

Asylum Centre gardeners with new bee hive - L to R: Chris, Stef, Jessica, Vera

The bees venture forth from their hive front door

Native Stinglees Bee in flight at Asylum Centre; notice tiny sacs on back legs to carry pollen: photo Jessica Perini

On Saturday Jessica Perini came over to pick up the split bee hive and together we went with it to the Asylum Seekers Centre of NSW in  Surry Hills where we set it up in the back garden.  During transport the entry and vent holes were still blocked up with tape.  After it was put in place the tape over the holes was removed so the bees could come and go.

The hive faces north and is shaded from the western sun by a fence and building.  It’s under a tree on a round timber table.  Stef and Vera continued to garden after the hive was installed and Vera sent this email:

Jessica took some beaut photos and they’re in this post.  My favourite is the one of a bee in flight.

The garden at the Centre is used by folks served by the Centre and is a place of restoration and converersation.

In September 2011 I will split the hive and bring the newly split hive back to Chippendale.  And in about a month from now, on one of the Centre’s regular gardening Tuesdays,  I will harvest the honey from the hive at Surry Hills.

For information about the Centre:   www.asylumseekerscentre.org….au

The hive that’s kept here will not produce honey until next September.

So next year there’ll be another two hives, bringing the total number of hives up from the original one to four – in three years.

M