Monday, March 22, 2021

First hive check of the season 3/22

 Wow.  I have a lot of bees! My hives look like it's August.  I"m not used to my bees living through the winter I guess.  It feels like I should be doing a split.  I will check with others in the area before that but it won't be today anyway.

Later today I will add sugar syrup to a top hive feeder.  Most of the sugar I put in there a few weeks ago was sitting at the bottom. I don't expect to add straight sugar again this spring but when I do, I'll put it on a plate so it doesn't fall through.  I had put it on paper; they ate the paper; sugar fell below.

There seems to still be enough honey in there too because the lower deep was heavy.  I didn't inspect every frame.  Some were really stuck and broke apart. I will be ready with new frames when I inspect again and will plan on a split then too.

- I have a queen.  I saw brood in the upper deep.  

- They're bringing in pollen! A neighbor alerted me that they were all over his heather. I went to see and there were many bees in that patch.  All mine I think.

- There is an unfilled super on there so if they need space, they can use that.

- Also added a few empty frames to the deeps in case needed.

- added sticky board and will check that in 3 days.

I did see three cells at the bottom of a frame. (are they queen cells or swarm cells?) They weren't peanut shaped so they were something else or in progress. Will check them again.

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