The one hive appears to be doing really good during today's checkup. I wanted to inspect all of it. Here's what I found:
1. The syrup in the top box was not empty and it looked to have a sort of mold skimming the top so I dumped it and added fresh syrup.
2. The next box down, the white deep, was pretty heavy with honey, capped and uncapped. And lots of pretty yellow and orange pollen in there too. This is good news since that's what they'll be eating all winter.
3. The bottom deep is coming along. I saw some of the frames perfectly laid out with capped honey on the top and brood and pollen below. I saw plenty of larvae on some of the frames. I hope there's enough time to see these turn into bees before cold weather hits.
It's probably a good time to take a look at the bee's surroundings at the end of this summer here in southern Vermont. Of course the bees don't all stay close to home to gather nectar and pollen...they'll travel up to 5 miles and somehow find their way back.
Some of the golden colored pollen comes from these sunflowers and saw a bunch of my bees on them yesterday. Down the hill is loaded with goldenrod...not fun for the sinuses but great for the bees.
 |
| I didn't see any pink pollen in the hive but something is helping them bloom as lush as they are. |
In front of the hive are a few wood chairs where I like to sit in the evening and watch bee action. Finally the morning glories are blooming. Not as lush as I'd like to see them but each year, it seems better and better.
To the right of the driveway is my spring garden where there are daffodils, tulips sometimes, if I keep planting them, vinca, violets, and hyacinths. I'm in the process of dressing it up for the fall with potted marigolds, sedum, potted zinias and corn stalks. When pumpkin are ready a few will go here as well. (Fence hides compost bins and it's made of misc wood lengths and widths. I saw it done on TV and loved the idea of recycling the wood.)
One of three drying racks for the calandula that is growing in the garden. I will dry it, use some, and sell the rest on ebay later on.
This is the area where I let the goldenrod take over behind the fence. There's a hill there and lots of goldenrod like it, as well as other yellow fall flowers. On this side of the fence, there is a new crop of dianthus that I started this year. I have a few other colors that were elsewhere in the yard and I'll add them here. In the spring, there is a beautiful old fashioned rosebush in bloom here. If I'm lucky, another rosebush will be there in the spring, the Cecil Brunner rose. It doesn't like our winters here, and I often lose it, even when insulating it with leaves etc. I have been nursing one in a pot this summer so if I can keep it alive, it will go here at the fence in the spring. I may try housing it in the unheated greenhouse which should be warmer than the ground outside.
So, for now, there seems to be enough food the the bees, in my yard and outside of it.
No comments:
Post a Comment