Fall 2011 has arrived.

Fall has arrived with rain showers and mostly cloudy skies today, 67° when I peeked into the hive to check progress on B15. Someone should look at the properties of propolis for glue…follower and B16 really stuck on tight! Probably someone has and it won’t generate enough dollars in that use to warrant much attention. However, it is promoted as beneficial to human health. Here’s an excerpt from a site selling bee products for health: http://queenselixir.com/propolis-info/what-is-bee-propolis.htm.

A sticky glue-like substance, bee propolis is created by the worker bees and used around the hive to insulate and protect the structure of the hive, and as an antibiotic to protect its inhabitants.
Propolis has been used for many centuries as a natural antibiotic, treating all manner of cuts, wounds and abrasions, and taken topically for its healing benefits.
The substance is basically a combination of tree bark and leaves, collected by the worker bees, combined with their saliva/secretions, forming a black or reddish-brown resinous paste. It is commonly used to repair cracks in the hive walls, and to create a sterile environment, protecting the bees from harmful bacteria and viral infections.
As a health promoting product, propolis has been studied worldwide. The nutritional and therapeutic benefits of propolis are primarily associated with its high bioflavinoid content and the fact that it exhibits antibiotic and antifungal properties when applied as a topical agent.
Our propolis products are independantly lab-tested and certified to contain a minimum of 8% bioflavinoids, and is brought to you as a powder or liquid tincture.
Europeans have used bee propolis for the treatment of peptic ulcers and ulcerative colitis, where it is thought to provide benefits to the digestive system and digestive organs. Again, the anti-inflammatory properties of the substance are thought to be beneficial to the stomache and intestinal tract.
In a similar way, propolis is said to help prevent and/or heal infections, where it is commonly believed that its antimicrobial effects can defend the body against bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
With its flavonoid / antioxidant properties, it is considered to be of benefit to the immune system. It is also used commonly to treat dental conditions such as cankers, mouth ulcers, and periodontal disease.
Propolis is generally considered to be a safe product, but if you are allergic to other bee products like royal jelly or honey, you should perhaps opt not to use propolis, since it contains these elements albeit in small quantities. If you have any mild negative reaction to bee products, discontinue use straight away.

Back to the hive check… Bees docile; not much foraging traffic; bees inside the hive since the temperature is much cooler; I closed the three entrances on the back of the hive. Bees forming a layer on the wire at the bottom of the hive; will close bottom board in a few weeks. B16 has spots of propolis on it but no comb; same amount of comb on B15 as seen on September 12 with cells being filled with nectar. Side bracing on B14 seems to have increased slightly.

Still undecided about removing all the bars to assess the hive interior—seems like a major disruption for my inquisitiveness. Had thought that we should assume all is well and let the bees do their work for winter and do the photo documentation in the spring as I check to see that there is enough food and consider how to do a split. However, plan to check with the Portland, OR Matts to hear their thoughts on the need for a thorough hive check in fall and how detrimental that might be. No pictures today.