Happy New Year!

Wishing you happiness and all the very best in 2015.

Seasons Greetings

Happy Christmas Everybody!

Good?.....Or Bad??

Checking all my hives today, found these little beggars had noshed their way well through the fondant even though they have 2 supers (boxes) of honey on board. I hope they are just filling all the gaps with fondant and not using the fondant because they have already eaten all their honey stores. I put another block of fondant on just in case.

Fine Feathered Friend

Over the last few months I have been joined at one of my sites by this little chap. A  bit camera shy but I finally got a pose. The robin normally sits right on the hive I am at, and sits on the fondant eke as I lift the roof to check there is fondant still available for the bees; and the little fellow follows me at every hive there (12 at present).

Defence

Checking my colonies today for fondant it was noticeable how defensive they were; lifting the roofs to check the fondant instigated an immediate response with bees flying out of the entrance (and in some cases straight down my boots!) and reminding me they were not in the mood to be messed with!!

Pesky Mices!

My hives are all secure and best prepared for the approaching winter. Today, soaked by thunderstorms, I was picking up spare equipment from some sites and again was confronted by mice making snuggly winter homes amongst my empty hives. A lesson to be learned as obviously there must have been suitable gaps for them to gain access. Fortunately little damage had been done and after their initial shock they scurried off into the undergrowth.

Surprise

Checking my colonies today, preparing for winter! I lifted the roof off a hive to find these mice making a lovely nest in the feeder above the brood; following my last visit (2 weeks ago) I had not quite put the roof back square- the gap left was obviously big enough for the mice to sneak in and set up home, nice and warm above the bees, they were not afraid to climb the hive and gain access some 4 feet up!