Hello Beepeeple!

[Maggiesdad]

52° overcast with rain moving in this evening...
strong flights today with a little bit of pollen coming back.

 

[Latestarter]

Hey there Chooks, sounds like you're going to get an early start I'm still ~75% snow covered up to a foot deep due to drifting. Day time temps are hovering right around freezing +/- a few degrees. The snow hasn't even completely melted off the roof, in direct sun... So no peeking here... No cleansing flights or movement either.

No, I haven't been sick... those were the lines from that Monty python skit... As they "gatherers" are bringing out the dead (picture 14th century Britain, very dirty and black plague killing off 80% of the population) and piling them in wheeled carts to haul away, this one "isn't quite dead yet".

 

[Happy Chooks]

Aaaah, my husband is a monty python fan. He even got our boys interested in it.

I'm hoping we still get some snow here, but so far, the storms are warmer and the snow level is above us. In good winters, we can get around a foot of snow. I was up in the mountains on Friday, and there is a lot of snow up there! And they are supposed to get another foot or more tomorrow. 2 to 6 inches of rain predicted here tomorrow.

 

[Happy Chooks]

A brief break in the rain and warmer temps, so I went up to watch the hives. Not get inside, but see what they were up to. They were out and busy - hauling off the dead, foraging, potty breaks and even a few orientation flights.

 

[Maggiesdad]

@Latestarter - mmm mmm mmm
now we're under the gun for some wintryness.

 

[Maggiesdad]

Snobees

 

[Latestarter]

Where did you get the pollen from? Did you just break up a patty or something? It's pretty cool when they land on you. I'm sure your body heat felt pretty good to it vice landing on a cold surface.

How'd you fare during the big blizzard that went through the eastern states? Looks like you got some snow. Strange to see so many bees out flying in that colder weather.

 

[Maggiesdad]

We got off pretty easy snow total wise 16" in one yard, and 18" 10 miles up the road in the other yard. That stuff is pollen substitute - one of the more expensive brands. I put it out to see what they would think of it. Since the big cold snap, they've been hitting my chicken feeders every time there's been good flying weather.
Believe it or not, it's time to start building up. It's just four brood cycles 'til our main flow here.

 

[Maggiesdad]

Fuzzy baby, angel wings...

 

[Happy Chooks]

That is cool! My hives have been brooding up too. In a few weeks or so, the manzanita will start blooming. I haven't tried loose pollen, I've purchased the patties.