The Honey Factory

[WallyG74]

You’re doing the bees a disservice by keeping them in just one hive. Try that one.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

You’re doing the bees a disservice by keeping them in just one hive. Try that one.

So I keep them in 4.

 

[Apis mellifera]

I have an overwintered nuc that had a queen with tattered wings, could have been from fighting after she was mated. Rare, but it can happen. She was a great laying queen but would never be able to swarm. Sometimes a colony will try and swarm with a non flying queen and end up as a clump of bees on the ground in front of the hive. This nuc superseded her instead of a failed swarm. You can see the nice laying pattern around the emerged cell. Didn't look for the new queen yet, I'll give her time before looking for eggs. Notice the worker below the empty cell that just brought in propolis.

 

[R2elk]

Bur Oak

 

[R2elk]

Rhubarb

 

[Sally PB]

I saw several bees on one of our many, many autumn olive bushes.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Bees coming in with full pollen baskets. Cranberry bloom will be coming soon, all pollen no nectar from this, with an easy commute over the Cedars and drop into the bogs about 75 to a 100 yds with a 3/4 mile radius. The two established hives very strong and heavy. The split I made has really done well and still feeding syrup, will be removing reducer tomorrow morning as there is a traffic jamb at the entrance. I may extract one medium from the established hives. With the dry weather and the summer dearth this may not be the smart move. We'll see.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Bang on something metal to get them to come down. A guy did it at our place when I was a kid.

Also, I saw a queen get booted out of the hive a couple weeks ago. Good timing, bad timing? I caught her and made a split. The next day she was dead in the cage. I assume I had witnessed the tail end of a supercedure. Phone says I’m spelling it wrong but you know what I mean.

I have tapped on a house wall with a wooden mallet and drawn them to a box. I do have a 8' metal fence pipe. In the future I will keep this in mind.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Bees are staying close to home today, cool and raining, very little activity. I'll bet they're not in a good mood.

 

[R2elk]

Bees are staying close to home today, cool and raining, very little activity. I'll bet they're not in a good mood.

Mine really don't like wind or rain.