It's good to have this blog because it encourages me to document the goings on in my hives. Otherwise, I'd forget the details from previous inspections. As it is, it's already been a few days...
I am finally feeling much more comfortable going into the hives. If I get strung at all, I don't seem to be as allergic to the stings as I was at the beginning. I was told this would happen and it seems to have been true.
My intent this week was to pull out some frames and extract honey. But I think the one hive where there will be honey for the taking is still a few weeks away. There were frames partially full but I don't want to take it until they're fuller. So instead of extracting, I made sure to refill the sugar syrup since they were all dry.
I then realized that the little Nuc was the only hive that didn't have sugar syrup! So I used the mason jar technique , added an empty Nuc box (a second story box) to house the mason jar and syrup. I could add some frames around it in the future, if needed, but the Nuc isn't ready for that yet. I just want the bees to make comb since 3 of the frames need to be drawn out so the queen can lay eggs. Got to move quickly as the season will be winding up shortly.
It's hard to believe how fast the summer has gone. The light has changed...days are shorter. The nights have been pretty cool all summer long anyway. I fear a tough winter and don't feel ready. But I've lined up a plan for the bees...a loose plan anyway.
Instead of using hay to insulate the hives (in addition to roofing paper, I have this bubble pack insulation in the shed that I will wrap over the bubble pack. and I will put the smaller hive over the larger hive to help insulate it. I will need to feed as well. Maybe I'd better purchase a snow blower to I can have a path to the hive all winter...still thinking it through.
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