All Tucked Up For Winter

Apiguard sorted, fondant and ekes on (despite the rain); my bees are all bedded down for winter. Pleasing to think I have completed the cycle and done my upmost to prepare my colonies, sad that I am really saying "bye for now and over to you" as I can do little more now than watch, powerless, as winter unfolds.

Early Loss !

I didn't think that the wasps were such a pest this year: but the first hive I checked this morning was riddled with them and the poor bees had perished - yet last week all was okay (albeit I had noted to reduce the entrance as this was a weak colony and I had over looked masking across some of their entrance slot). A bad start!
At my next site , my newest, I was almost intoxicated by the setting, its' situation and view really captivates me and I have to stop and take it all in. Even doing this though my bee keeping was over all too quick, their is little to do this time of year.

Threat

The greatest threat which I beleive the honey bee currently faces is the dinosaur!

Hive Stands

I was supposed to be making more hive stands this afternoon from off cuts of wood I have recently sorted. Trouble was that the weather went quite warm and sunny and I had to keep walking past some hives to get the wood out; and of course I had to stop and watch for a little while, well maybe a bit longer than that. I actually lost interest in building the stands and became fixated watching the bees at their hive entrances! Eventually I did rush and knock a couple of stands together. Good job no one else was home to see me skiving again.

What A Load of Rubbish

There is some real bad advice being banded about with regards to keeping bees. Short term trends are being fulfilled at the long term expense of the honey bee. Get real !

Beautiful Day Makes Me Melancholic

I was in the fields with the bees at 8 o clock this morning. It was lovely and sunny and the bees were already out busy. It was a wonderful sight. But the season is over and that leaves me feeling sad. There was little to do, though I always find a few precious moments to stand and watch the bees coming and going; I could happily while away the hours doing this/(nothing! but don't tell the wife!).
The rest of the day was spent sorting and tidying spare equipment and getting supers ready to freeze before storage. I am lucky that I am allowed to use our chest freezer for this purpose every autumn.