Sunshine, clear skies, 80’s for the past few and next several days…really bee working weather. Herbs--thyme, oregano, peppermint, chives--seem to be particularly attractive to the bees although there are many bees on the flower and vegetable blossoms as well.
Inside the hive bees are moving around on B12, but I cannot tell if they are filling the cells…doesn’t appear so. Have been lifting the roof and one empty bar to see B12 comb, which is about 2/3 drawn. Will not go further into the hive until necessary, which would be if bars are all drawn with comb and honey needs to be collected.
Where are the drones? Have not seen any around the hive recently nor were there any in the pictures taken last week. And the capped brood cells on B2 and B3 were only worker cells. I know the drones’ work happens during the swarm season, late spring and early summer, so maybe they are done and gone. Research shows they will be shut out of the hive during fall by workers preparing for winter.
It’s nice to report that the bees have done and are still doing pollination in the garden—my primary purpose for starting the backyard hive. I estimate that there are three times the amount of boyzen berries as last year and more squash, cucumbers, and tomatoes have formed than during all of last year.
Removed the attic feeder; no activity since it was placed there July 21. We’ll come back to that if feeding is needed during winter or spring.
Time for pictures…here are some of the immediate hive environment during summer: deck, back yard, back garden. Bees are flying everywhere in the yard, settling on blossoms, and traveling constantly on their flight path to and from the hive.
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