Its been a while !

Due to work commitments I have not been able to do a lot with the bees the last few weeks but they were wintered down ready beforehand. I have managed to rush to my apiaries just to see that the hives were all upright and bees flying. I cannot do any more for them now, it is up to nature until next March 2016! I hope she is kind and sees that my intentions and efforts were all good.

And Now Withdrawal Symptoms!!

The active season has almost shuddered to a halt as nectar income has dried up. Time to get the bees ready for , dare I say, WINTER! If the dearth continues early feeding will be necessary; this and varroa treatments will now be the only activities left to do in the coming weeks. Mouse guards are already on to help the bees protect against robbing. I have gone from endeavouring to maintain 60 colonies to doing next to nothing. No more brood inspections, no more elation from seeing the queen in each hive , hence severe withdrawal symptoms.

Melancholic

Its that time of year again, when I begin to realise that the season is coming to a close. It means I  have to prepare my colonies for winter and so will not see the bees and their queens for over 6 months. It leaves me sad.
On a brighter note I saw lots of bees coming back to the hive with a familiar stripe of pollen across their back/thorax; it seems water balsam is in bloom. depending on the weather it may give a useful flow to the bees.

Marmite!

Honey it seems is like Marmite!
You love it, or you hate it!
Personally I love it!!

A Little Income

The past few weeks have seen a flow and this has eased any signs of a dearth.....for now! Todays' inspections show that incoming nectar has slowed up (as the last weeks weather has cooled somewhat). So here's hoping that July brings some more sunshine and a few less heavy downpours so as the bees can stock their larders.

JUNE GAP!

Checking the bees this week, the June Gap is very much in evidence. The Spring flowers (Oil Seed Rape) have finished but the summer flowers have yet to come into bloom. This creates almost a complete stop on incoming nectar. Stores in the hive are diminishing rapidly and so some good weather is needed to keep the season going.

Sunshine

A lovely warm sunny day to check my bees; how this weather affects the bees - they were lovely and couldn't care less about my intrusion, happy to let me meddle. What a joy!