Girls active on May 16, 2016

I checked the hive yesterday and was happy to see the queen.  What I also saw, however, was a new queen cell being built.

I also saw capped and uncapped larvae so she's laying.  But I didn't see that all the frames were full and there were still 4 pretty empty.  I had added a second deep a week or so ago and added a few honey frames, so they will have room to grow.  I think that all the rain we had slowed them down for a week.

It's been cold these last few days so doubt they're out too far away.  I know I'm not!

I also added two supers to the top of the second deep so that they'll draw comb out on some frames in the supers.  My hope is that they will be ready to receive the honey when the bees are ready for the supers.

Some questions after checking the hive today June 18 2016

I just came in from checking the hive.  Here's what I saw and then I'll ask a few questions and publish on the Brattleboro Beekeepers Group, hoping someone has some input.

• I have two deeps and two supers on there.  (The supers are there because some of the frames needed to have wax added and so I wanted them to be there and get ready for honey later in the season.) 
• The supers have been there for a few weeks.
• Above the supers, I added another deep today with no frames, and used it to hold a jar of sugar water.  I think it will help them build comb and to not eat the stores in case there's not enough pollen coming in
• There was lots of comb at the bottom of the second deep and a lot of comb at the top of the first deep - I removed it all
• Three queen cells were found. I left them alone for now (since I have questions...see below.
• I saw brood in various stages of growth. 
• I didn't see the queen but based on the in process brood, I assume she's still in there somewhere.

Questions to anyone who knows and is willing to answer

• With what looks like three queen cells being built, I think I did the right thing by leaving them...anyone have input on that?
• I had two queen cells on one frame, and one on another.  I wondered if I could take one of those frames and start a Nuc or another hive.  It it too new a hive since this is a "new beginning year" where I started with a Nuc.
• I fear weakening the existing hive too much by trying to expand it this year. I might be better off if I waited until next spring and, if my hive survives the winter strong, I could start another hive at that time.  But am I right that I should wait and not do anything more this year?
• Since I saw so much comb being built below, could they possibly be thinking of swarming? They do have more room to fill...and since it's the first year for this hive, I'm not sure.

I am at the very bottom of my own honey from last year...I actually bought a jar at the Coop in Brattleboro last week that I'll use next.  That's kind of sad but I hope to remedy that situation later this summer. Fingers crossed.

New bees arrive

I went over to Swanzey, NH this morning to pick up a nuc from Imaginethathoney who picked up a lot of nucs from Singing Cedars up in Orwell, VT.  I've not tried their bees in the past so we'll see how this year goes.  I noticed that only 4 of the 5 frames were filled out, giving them more room to grow, I guess.  I also found the queen!  It's the first time I've found a queen on my own...after 4+ years.  There she was though, in plain sight.

I have added the frames to a deep that I had ready for them in my bee yard. Now I wait and let them adjust to their new home.  Not many came out to fly around but it's only in the mid 40's right now and rain is expected so I think they'll stay in and stay warm.  After tomorrow, nice weather is supposed to arrive and then I expect to see them flying around my yard.

I have a farm down the road from me...a few miles...and when shopping there yesterday, I noticed a lot of honey bees.  I asked one of the owners if they had a hive and she said they have several.  That is great news and no wonder they have such good looking crops!

So I'm ready to have a great bee season. Wish me luck!

Cleaning, repairing and getting ready

I spent some time last weekend repairing my hives.

• painted some deeps in colors instead of just white.  Nothing gaudy.  I had some paint samples in little jars and since they're too small do print anything large, I decided to use them to paint my hives.
• Scraped off propolis and any remaining beeswax from hives and frames
• Used a propane torch to scorch the inside of the boxes or frames to remove any trace of mites or anything else living on or in them.  What was great about this is the wonderful smell in the house afterwards.
• Ordered any additional supplies I might need for the season.  This year, I needed some new foundation so I ordered enough for 20 frames (hoping to grow my hive from one to two)

Getting the bee yard ready

I recently  electrified my fence around the empty bee yard to begin getting ready for bear to show up. I'd like them to get zapped early if they come by so hopefully they won't come back this season.

I am sticking with the marine battery to charge the fence.  It's the best way to go since I don't need to worry about replacing D cell batteries once a month.  Even after the battery sat down cellar over the winter, when I recharged it, it only took a short time ...under an hour...to fully charge again so it didn't lose much charge at all.  I even hooked it up myself which was a first for me.

Of course, I had taken pictured in the fall to help me do it correctly..and thankfully there is the Internet when I get lost.  I can usually find what I need by researching.

It looks like it's early to mid May before my bees will arrive.  I might have prepared my yard a little early...could I be overanxious?  I think I am.  I have to admit that I missed looking out every morning at my hives to make sure they were intact.  And I missed having a Christmas wreath on them during the season.  This year will be different.  I can feel it.

A new "and improved?" year to come

Let's hope that the new bee season to come is better than last year's season where I lost all my bees.

I attended a workshop this past weekend and there were about 12 people there who all shared their experiences. I left there not feeling alone anymore.  Many of the beekeepers experienced bee losses last year. Some, like me, didn't exactly know what caused their hives to collapse.

I am still trying to understand what happened to my hives.  I took one of my frames from last year with me to see if contained varroa or nosema but the instructor said no...it just looked like a bear had gotten that frame.  And one had!

After I took my hives down in the fall, I stored the frames in my greenhouse so that would deter the moths which like a dark environment.  However, before the bear went into hibernation, they came by, apparently, and smelled the honey in the greenhouse and broke in.  They pushed in one panel on the side and roof and squeezed in and took some frames outside and got what they could.  Now my frames are stored in the shed for the winter, or down in the basement, or "down cellar" which is the term I use.

This year, I will scorch each frame and hive boxes, and add new foundation so that we start with a clean hive.  If all goes well, I will start a Nuc from the one hive so that I will have extra bees of my own in case I need them in the future.  That was the recommendation of Imagine That Honey over in Swanzy, NH.  This beekeeping group will strive to produce our own bees so that we don't need to purchase bees from down south.  We would like to have our Northern bred bees which should be heartier than those from elsewhere and much less stress for them.  I think it's a great goal!

The thinking about my bee loss last year where the remaining bees all died in front of my hives is pesticides.  I have no control over what other people do around here but I did let my entire street know about my hives and to please not use pesticides.  I think most listened.  But I know one neighbor used them to kill barberry bushes cropping up throughout the woods and fields around here. I don't know what the answer is since bees fly up to 5 miles away from the hive to gather nectar and pollen. I can only hope that my bees don't run into it again.  Cleaning the hives can help to reduce any pesticides that might be in the hive so starting off clean is about all I can do and hope for the best.

Offering Maitake mushroom aka Hen of the Woods

Like I said when I started this blog, it will sometimes veer off course. Today, I am thinking about my mushroom find earlier this week.  I took a lunchtime walk out on my neighbor's land where, a few years ago, I had found Maitake on a huge oak tree that had fallen over and uprooted from the ground.
The Maitake fruited at the base of the tree which is now protected by the soil that used to be under it but now is above it.  So any under the tree roots were almost pure white.  I filled my basket!

I wish I had taken a photo of them first!  But these, I ended up drying what I didn't give to my daughter. A precious few one ounce packages of dried Maitake are now being offered on ebay.

My stash of dried Hen of the Woods (Maitake).

According to Dr. Andrew Weil, "Maitake: This delicious Japanese mushroom is also called "hen of the woods" because it grows in big clusters that resemble the fluffed tail feathers of a nesting hen. You should be able to find these mushrooms dried or fresh in Japanese markets, gourmet foods stores, or upscale supermarkets. Extracts are also widely available. Maitake has anticancer, antiviral, and immune-system enhancing effects and may also help control both high blood pressure and blood sugar levels."



Plus, they're delicious.