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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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Tonight’s the night..
May 16, 2022 Besides being the first words to a cheesy Rod Stewart song, it’s the night we retrieve our first swarm trap. The location in Fulton has had activity for at least a week. This afternoon I went to the location to see for myself. I saw lots of activity, but couldn’t get a…
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And then there were three…
The news of bees in the trap in Fulton as well as the scout activity around our hives, motivated us to finish the hive. Linda had started decorating it, but life got busy and it was put aside for bit. So we carried the hive to the kitchen and Linda got started. She wanted a…
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We may have bees…
The writer observed the first honeybee of the year at their apiary, likely a scout. After several days of no activity, they noticed bee activity on May 9th, and on May 10th, saw activity from both hives. They plan to wait before inspecting further. Additionally, a swarm trap set up at a friend’s home showed…
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Setting up the apiary…
The decision on the apiary placement led to choosing a spot with morning sun and afternoon shade. Despite the rough condition, clearing and setting up the apiary took two days, with concern for dead trees. Moving the hives was challenging, but the result was satisfying, with a potential picnic spot.
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Decorating the hives…
The basics After the hives were completed, the exteriors were given 1 coat of primer and 2 coats of exterior white latex. This was done primarily for to help preserve the wood. It was a bit of work to make them and we wanted them to last for a long time. At this point, we…