Hello Beepeeple!

[Happy Chooks]

What kind of flower is that?

 

[Maggiesdad]

cleome

 

[Maggiesdad]

golden girls workin' the fennel...

 

[babsbag]

Good pictures.

My friend just called and told me that she thinks the hive at her house is gone. It was fine two months ago. She says she only sees a few coming in and out and no bees gathering around the watering hole. (pool). They were a huge hive, the only one I got honey from last year. They are in a good area with lots of forage. I did not treat for mites, they are barely a year old hive so was planning on this fall. I am hoping maybe they swarmed, better than disappearing and dying. But my gut tells me that they few she is seeing are robbers but I won't know until next week when I go to look at them.

The mean hive that I have at another location is doing well. I did not go in and inspect them, I was only in the area to pick some blackberries but they were coming and going in droves. They are a three year old hive and I expected them to be dead after the winter.

Bees confuse me.

 

[Maggiesdad]

The graveyard of sad and remorseful bumbles...
"Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's honey."

^^^
This is my best Lang, the deep is packed with bees and brood, and they are steady drawing comb and storing. Our fall flow has started, the sumac is rolling.

And below is the TBH that I just about did in - a two pound start that I drowned half the bees in syrup then froze.That one lb of bees kept their queen alive, I later gave them a couple of bars of brood and they took off! Now they have 17 bars fully drawn to the shape of the hive and packed with bees and brood. They never got to where they were putting up surplus, but they look great and the combs are perfect. Maybe next year...
Our days have been in the mid 90°s, and the nights in the low 60°s. I took this pic this evening, by morning everybody will be back inside, and they'll have the bottom holes closed up with their bodies.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Great job! They look great!

 

[Maggiesdad]

One of the three queens I raised this summer, stomping around on some drone comb... she's a cutie!

 

[Maggiesdad]

Here's two of her brood combs... they are really pulling in the pollen. I wish they had bigger honey bands, but I've got 4-5 more weeks to get that right for winter.

I've tried waxing in strips of foundation for guides, and gluing in splines - but I really like their own attachments better. This one above had the saw groove, but nothing added to it and I think its gorgeous.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I have no idea what type of weed this is, but it's a bush that is over 6 feet tall and it stinks, but the bees have been all over it.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Now the slow time of waiting until spring. We are getting cold here, close to freezing at night and 60's during the day. We had a couple days of a good rain too, which we desperately need! I opened my hive quickly yesterday to put the inner cover back in place. It was out of place for mite treatment, and since that is over now, I put it back so they can keep the heat by the cluster. I still have a feeder over the hole in the inner cover. It warms up enough during the day that they eat it. (and they have pollen patties too)

What are you all up to?