There were different thoughts on when to add the bee pollen and sugar mixture to the hives. I've not done this before but it is supposed to help the bees get started on creating brood early and to just give them more nutrients beyond the honey I left in the hive this winter.
Two people were okay with my approach which included adding it now, versus one person saying I should wait until end of March. That's quite a time difference but I moved ahead and added it today. Probably about two cups worth. I didn't think it would hurt.
My approach was to add an empty super to the top, lay a sheet of newspaper over the frames in the super below and then add the pollen mixture to that. I made sure the top box had an air hole drilled to give them another exit and to vent moisture.
I should have ten a picture but I was too busy running!
I was told that I might be see bees at the top of the hive and boy were there a lot of bees there. They attacked me! I was not prepared for that and didn't suit up thinking I'd not really see a lot of bees . I was wrong. I bolted to the house with bees following me. Now there are a bunch of dead bees as a result. Makes me feel bad. But I do hope they enjoy their pollen and sugar treat. Those that are left, that is.
I have a lot of bees in that hive. I was shocked by that since I haven't kept bees through the winter for quite a long time. I was worried about the below zero cold snap we had for several nights and very low day temps but they clearly survived that, so I'm hopeful they make it to spring.
In the spring, I hope to split the hive and maybe encourage them making a queen instead of me buying one. First things first.
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