-
Swarm trap checking…
6/15/23 On Monday, June 12, our friends in Howard County sent us a text and a video stating that they have seen bee activity at the trap. Linda and I tried not to get too excited thinking that we had been here before without much luck. Well, today we were in Columbia due a PT…
-
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…
-
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.
-
Transferring the bees from Langstroth frames to Layens…
The post describes setting up a new beehive, converting frames, and observing bee behavior near the apiary. After bringing the nuc to the apiary and setting it next to the hive, frames were prepared using a table saw. The process involved moving frames, cutting and attaching pieces, and adding a frame feeder to help the…
-
There’s always Plan B, err make that Plan C…
The post emphasizes the importance of planning, drawing from experiences in the military and event management. It then discusses plans for beekeeping, weighing the pros and cons of different approaches. Ultimately, it details the process of obtaining bees from a local supplier, highlighting the journey and the Air Force veteran who provided the bees.
-
Much todo about nothing…
The post discusses an incident with bees and a trap, inspired by Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. After bringing back a bee swarm and leaving it overnight, the bees disappeared by morning. Lessons learned include waiting longer before moving the trap. The author humorously labels the experience a “comedy of errors.”
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
Working on flower beds…
The post describes preparations for the upcoming swarm season, focusing on renovating the Cedar Grove flower bed and expanding the Rose Garden. The author outlines the process of repurposing cedar logs, acquiring various flowers, and adding a weeping willow tree as a centerpiece. The Rose Garden is a post-retirement project, featuring a variety of tea…