Fall New (Harvest) Moon Second round of apiguard in the parent and the divide. The top box on the package colony has gotten heavier, but I plan to feed them some more as I will do to the parent once the apiguard comes off in two weeks. Sometime in early November I’ll get out the […]
Read the rest of this entry »Bee Diary: August 6, 2010
Lughnasa Waning Grandchildren Moon Hive inspections today. The package colony, the youngest of the three, began life here in late April. Now it has three hive boxes full of brood and honey, a honey super full and has two near empties for the rest of what the summer offers. I’m pleased I’ve gotten honey from […]
Read the rest of this entry »Bee Diary: July 2, 2010
Summer Waning Strawberry Moon Just sent an e-mail to the Minnesota Hobby Beekeeper’s Association. I need help. We’re in mid-season now and I don’t understand what I’m seeing in the hives, nor do I understand enough about where things should be right now. The two make a whole. That is, I don’t understand what I’m […]
Read the rest of this entry »Bee Diary: June 24, 2010
Summer Waxing Strawberry Moon I got through 2.5 hive inspections. The package colony has beautiful comb, an excellent egg-laying pattern and is now ready for the third hive box. That’s as far as it needs to go as soon as it fills out at least 8 frames in the new hive box. That should happen […]
Read the rest of this entry »Bee Diary: June 7, 2010
Beltane Waning Planting Moon Hive inspections today. Looking to see how the bees are using the other two honey supers I put on last week, now a total of four. They have two almost full, but they have not begun to draw out much comb on the two with bare foundation. At least not yet. […]
Read the rest of this entry »Getting Things Ready
Beltane Waning Flower Moon After checking the parent colony with the queen excluder in, I found larvae in the top hive box. That’s evidence of the queen. That meant I shifted the middle hive box over to the new foundation and bottom board. A syrup feeder pail went on top of the new, child colony. […]
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