Spring\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Full Bee Hiving Moon<\/p>\n
First full outdoor morning.\u00a0 Took off all the hive boxes, cleaned every frame and the hive boxes, prepared hive boxes for the packages due next weekend.\u00a0 The divide from last year’s parent colony had a lot of remaining honey, so I put four frames from it in each of two of the hive boxes for the packages.\u00a0 In the other hive box I used honey from the package colony I had started last year.\u00a0 A sticky job, scraping old propolis and wax off the frames, scraping dead bees off the bottom boards and into the garden (I’m told they make excellent fertilizer.), evaluating remaining frames for use in the upcoming year.<\/p>\n
(Artemis Hives patroness goddess)<\/p>\n
Now I have three single hive boxes with ten frames, four of honey and six with drawn comb.\u00a0 Both of those mean the packages should be more efficient earlier since they will not spend energy drawing out comb.\u00a0 Each of those hive boxes has its entrance reducer in to full obstruction, or, in one case, it sits flush on the foundation board, which seals it up.<\/p>\n
I have to buy one new bottom board and three entrance reducers, other than that, I’m well set up for what will be my third year of bee keeping. I’ve got a long way to go before I’m proficient, but it’s beginning to be less of a mystery.<\/p>\n
Mark and I both worked outside.\u00a0 He moved limbs and compost material while I worked on the hive boxes and frames.\u00a0 I only have one hive tool.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Spring\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Full Bee Hiving Moon First full outdoor morning.\u00a0 Took off all the hive boxes, cleaned every frame and the hive boxes, prepared hive boxes for the packages due next weekend.\u00a0 The divide from last year’s parent colony had a lot of remaining honey, so I put four frames from it in each of two … Continue reading Bee Diary: April 17, 2011<\/span>