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Spring activities?
As warm weather arrives, the beekeeper observes the survival of their colonies and prepares for the hazardous time when flowers may be scarce. A late-season swarm has thrived, and the bees are active despite the lack of flowers. Plans for colony expansion and creating artificial splits are underway, along with building swarm boxes.
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Surprise, Surprise, Surprise…
December 7, 2023 The surprise today isn’t nearly as colossal as the one on December 7, 1941, at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii but, it was nevertheless a surprise to us today. With the temperatures in the 60’s, we decided to walk the property and see what was going on. The flowerbeds looked their normal shagginess and…
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Final inspection of the season…
This beekeeping season has been educational, highlighting the importance of putting theory into practice. The final hive inspection involved removing unused items, counting frames, and placing a wool pillow over remaining frames. The pillow helps regulate humidity and temperature, vital for the bees’ survival during winter. The hive will remain closed until spring to assess…
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Sunshine hive update…
8/12/2023 Between the two weeks of very high temperatures followed by what seemed two weeks of monsoonal like rain, it has been hard to check up on the bees. Last week between storms, we went down to the apiary to observe bee activity from the three hives. The hives that contain the swarms we trapped…
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Sunshine Hive inspection…
On Tuesday, Linda and I inspected the Sunshine Hive to assess population levels, honey and brood. The hive had a good population, more honey frames than expected, and slightly low brood levels. The bees’ temperament seemed normal, with no signs of being queenless. We also captured new comb growth in pictures.
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Bees being bees…
The author has been helping their son with a deck building project and working in their flower gardens. They are concerned about their bees due to abnormally dry weather, but are seeing signs of pollen foraging and orientation flights, indicating a healthy colony. They also attempted to capture the bee activity in pictures and a…
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Observing…
The bee colony appears to be settling in well after a week. The feeder needs frequent refilling, indicating their activity. There is increased bee presence on unused frames and a replacement feeder revealed no dead bees. A more thorough inspection is planned for next week to assess the colony’s progress.
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Time to build swarm traps…
The content delves into the life cycle of a bee colony, including the purpose of swarming and the significance of a swarm trap. Bees collect pollen and nectar for winter survival, and the swarm trap provides temporary accommodation for bee colonies. The traps, constructed from wood, are designed to accommodate the colony’s needs.