Changing weather

So far, this Spring has not really made up its mind. We had a few days of fine weather followed by drizzling cold days. We even had a threat of a light frost the other evening.

The bees seems to be taking the changing weather in their stride. Today is a typical example. The day started cool and cloudy with a little bit of rain, but when I ventured out to my garden to do some planting I noticed that despite the fine drizzle the little darlings are out! Obviously the air temperature is high enough for them to go on their foraging trips. The bees continue bringing back pollen to the hive. Watch the video (below) and look out for the little "yellow pantaloons". Fingers cross the Queens is busy inside reproducing the next generation of workers bees for the season.

This week I am thinking about adding more flowers in my garden. Of course there are many gardens up and down my street, but I thought it's time I do my extra bit. This afternoon I made a big effort of clearing one corner of my garden, which frankly had been very neglected in the last few years. I clear some very invasive plants and buckets of weeds and created a short flower bed which I shall plant a few sun flowers. I planted some Marigold seeds in the main flower bed. Hopefully when the weather really warm up I shall have some bring colours in the garden this years. Already, looking at the few daffodils I planted some years ago. I thought I shall get more bulbs in the autumn and plant a host of them for next spring. There is nothing quite like a mass of golden colour, set against the spring green, to lift ones heart. The photo is that of our Buddha corner with some early spring flowers. Lovely don't you think?

Dancing in the sun

Here they are - the little darlings. My wife thinks I am nuts calling them darlings! But you know what I mean bee lovers.

After those long winter months the very sight of them brings cheer to me and lifts my spirits.

Today happens to be Mothering Day Sunday and I do wonder how the Queen bee is doing. The weather is not yet warm enough for me to do a proper hive inspection, so I just to have be patient and wait a little longer. I have to admit it is an anxious wait to see if the QB is alive and laying.

Looking at the bees they appear to be well. I have not idea what flowers are out at the moment though I have noticed some crocuses are out and the daffodils can'e be far behind. I noticed also that the pussy willow is beginning to bloom up the near by Lea valley.

The close-up photo, taken today (Monday), clearly shows one of the worker bees bringing in pollen back to the hive. This is a good sign. As the sun is out again today I spent a few minutes observing the coming and going from the hive. I can't wait when it's warm enough to open up and have a good look inside. Watch this space readers.

Spring is back

After long days of grey skies the last few days saw much sunshine. It helps to brighten up my garden putting a little bit of colour back. Even though the air is still cold, even wintery on some days, I can feel that Spring is finally returning after what was an unusually harsh winter.

Welcome back to my blog if you followed it last year and the good news so far is that in spite of the harsh winter the colony is alive. I had been restraining myself from taking a peep. The last time I open the top briefly was to put a piece of fondant sugar in. That was in January and the bees were alive then.

Throughout the winter I have noticed there were many little bees' corpses outside the hive. One day, in the depth of winter, I actually saw a worker dragging a dead bee out of the hive. I suppose this is the inevitable casualties of winter. With the improved weather my mind is turning to my second season. I expect that I shall be busier as I really have to keep an eye out for swarming and other problems. One thing I am looking forward to is the likelihood of having some honey. First there is still the long wait for the air temperature to warm up sufficiently before I can open up for my first inspection. "Oh what a glorious thing to be. A healthy grown up busy, busy bee."

Winter 09: End of 1st season

Another Halloween is done and dusted; winter has well and truly arrived. Bar hefting my hive all that needed to be done for the bees are done: Feeding, Varroa teating and mouse guarding. Looking over my first season it has been an interesting year. I started thinking that I may have some honey, but soon realised that the colony must have its chance to build itself up before I shall see any surplus.

I have learned a lot from the bees and they have proved to be gentle and calm to work with. The pleasure of just watching the comings and goings of the bees in warm sunny days is something that everyone should experience. Every hive inspection reaffirm, for me, the meaning of "close to nature". The location of my hive has proved to be an excellent choice and I am expecting it to provide the kind of shelter spot that will be needed to see the colony through the winter.
Despite recent wet and much cooler days I have seen activities at the hive. They are still working! Only yesterday my wife and I saw quite a few bees bring pollen back to the hive. Its hard to see from where they are collecting the pollen.

If you have been following this blog through the year, thanks for reading, and thank you, to some of you, for leaving useful comments and suyggestiuons. If you are one of my freinds who were expecting honey this year- sorry you have to wait. Have a good winter, and this blog shall return in the new year.

Treatment number 2

The good Septembr weather is continuing, and I am taking advantage of it to do one more inspection of the hive. It is also time for the second and final treatment with another Apiguard.

Over the last 2 weeks I had a total varroa drop of 90. This gives an average varroa drop of about 6.4 per day, which is not bad I suppose. When I open the hive today the bees are calm and going about their business. On close inspection I found that the number has definitely grew. Leaving it alone for quite a number of weeks has helped. nearly all the frame, apart from three, are full of honey, and there are some signs of sealed brood cells, which means the queen is about and still laying.

In today's newspaper there is an item of the dreaded Asian honet. It would seems that the French is having a bad time of it. Needless to say we are thinking of when rather then if the little beasts will jump the Channel and get over here. I suppose we shall worry about that when it happens. 'Experts' reckon we have 10 years to get use to the idea. You can read about it here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/25/predatory-hornet-sighting-paris-france

Last week I bought some honey from a local beekeeper whoes bees are a mere one mile away. The honey is good so I am hoping that it's an indication what mine will be like. Can't wait.

They drop like...Varroas

Autumn is easing itself into our days. Since my last post I have checked my hive for Varroa drops. It'd shot up to 50 over a 6 day period. The counts before, over the similar period, was in low single figures. Clearly the hive has more of the natsy little mites then I though.

The Apigurad treatment is half way through its course. After this week I shall leave it for two weeks and do the same things one final time for another two week period. It would be interested to see what the drops will be. I want this hive to do well over winter. I may treat Varroa using sugar powder next year. The main problem with this non-chemical treatment (which I like) is that I am not sure now effective it is. I am getting mixed advice about this. Of course I want to go non-chemical, but I also want to be sure whatever method I use does the job. So far the Apiguard is working well - if the drop is anything to go by.

As always the September weather is strangely warm with occasional heavy rain. When the sun is out, like today, the bees are busy foraging. I can see many are still bringing in pollens. I am beginnig to feel that I should give the hive one more inspection just to be sure they are ok inside. The last time I look they had two empty frames in the brood box. The colony has not make enough honey so I am looking to increase my sugar bill this winter: sweet dreams.

This is an Eke

What, you may asked, is an eke? Today I install one in my hive. It's basically a square wooden frame- I made mine yesterday. The purpose of the eke is to create a space, above the brood box, into which you can place an Apiguard which is for treating the colony for the dreaded varroa. I am more or less leaving the hive alone at the moment though I am not quite sure if I should inspect it again before the air turns really cold.

We are now in the middle of September as usual we are having all kind of weather: last week it was cold and couldy last week, but this week we are having an Indian summer. Since I was told that Apigurad works best when the air temperature is 15 degree C or above I thought it's time I decide whether I will treat the bees or not. After much though I decided to do so because as one experienced fellow beekeeper pointed out should the number of varroa increases over winter (it's a really possibility) the colony will get really stressed out. Once agian keeping bees is rather like having children- sometime your are damn if you do and damn if you don't. In any case I though I should at lease treat the hive this season and see how things go. My main concern is that the colony should survive this winter, and be in good condition when next spring comes.

While cleaning the hive today I got some honey on my hive tool. We have a tiny little taste and it's good. Well for this season at least all the honey ( about 4 frames) are going to the hard working colony. We shall see what next years brings. My fingers are firmly crossed.