Senga's Blog
Eco-chic Outdoor Living & Exterior Design
May 3/10 - A Year in a Sustainable Garden: What's Happening Now - Busy Bees
Busy Bees
This evening I decided to check on my two bee hives on the edible green roof. It has been about 4 weeks since I hived the bees (see my Youtube videos) and I have been carefully feeding the residents a mixture of sugar water and pollen patties. A couple of weeks ago I tentatively peeked into the hive and pulled a few frames and was reassured by what looked like a few capped cells and loads of honeycomb loaded with nectar. These are all good signs that the queen was laying eggs and brood was being reared.
Since then we have had miserable rainy and cold wet weather of late therefore I delayed my investigation until the weather improved. Bees do not like to cold and wet - it irritates them. The best time to open the hives is late in the afternoon just before dusk as the bees are settling down in their hive for the night. Smoker in hand, my husband and I went up on the roof as I looked at hive #1.
Pulling the Lid Back
Smoker in hand I quietly pull off the top cover and look at the frames. Working around bees in a very quiet and calm manner makes for calm bees. And a little smoke makes them a big drowsier as they retreat into their hive to suck up nectar - their defense mechanism as they think there is a fire brewing.
Pulling Out a Frame
The frame has blocks of capped cells - a good sign of consistent egg laying by the queen and that the hive and queen is healthy.
Close Up of Frame - Adults Emerging!
As I was checking the frames I was thrilled to see the various stages of brood in devlopment includind 3 young workers chewing their way through their caps and emerging as I held the frames!
So far so good, I fed both bees a pollen patty and more sugar water just for good measure.
An interesting footnote - beehive #1 seems more calmer and prolific than beehive #2 - the latter seems to get more upset when I pull frames or at least the 'buzzing' noises are alot louder when I pull frames. Beehive #1 pretty much ignored me as I went poking in their hive - I would not have believed it but already I think my hives are developing personalities!
