OK so it wasn't quite the weather for it, but I snuck a look in both the bee hives today and popped another box on each. Both colonies have come through winter very strongly. What different operations those girls have going. Queen Malina on the Front Deck has used up all the honey I left her - I am glad I left that extra box of honey on for winter. It is all cleaned out and hopefully ready for a bit of a spring nectar flow. There are a few gum trees coming into flower - some iron barks and a couple of boxes....so fingers crossed we will get some more of the sweet stuff soon. her hive is mostly well organized with neat combs that follow the frames making having a look see and harvesting a breeze.
So now to Queen Aprilia - what a MESS. I left them some stickies from Queen Malina's hive in autumn....which they have cleaned up....and they are way ahead starting to build lots of lovely new comb already this season .....but they are building it across the frames - CRAZY comb! The bees don't give a shit, but it does make it more exciting to harvest as it is impossible to pull out combs individually without making a huge mess..... hee hee. I like their anarchic style!
Here is Queen Aprilia's hive with the lid off - the girls are building in the lid cavity....AGAIN.
And here is the top box with the hive mat taken off - you can see how the combs are being build across the frames..... I need to think about how I deal with this - whether I take this box away, clean it out and start again......or leave them to make a big heaving mess......
Happy swarm season!
3 comments:
So interesting!
Hey Duckie! Good to see you on Blog St again - I've missed you! Bees eh? Fascinating - I kinda agree that I admire their subversive intentions, but am screaming 'oh blessed rage for order,' in my head thinking about how the hell you're going to harvest the honey
Greenie x
Mmmm LOVE the smell and taste of gum flower honey and those crazy girls are artists to boot!
Post a Comment