not looking too promising –

the weather warmed up a bit, so i risked opening the top cover. nothing going on. can’t see any sign of activity or use of the bee candy. so, at this point, i am thinking the terrible cold weather conditions have caused my bees demise.
i will start again. sometimes, i think keeping bees must be like always finding the good in any situation. when faced with a loss, it is still a learning experience. hopefully, i will do better in year two.

Artic Weather, Leaping dogs – the stuff of Beekeeper Nightmares

We have been bombarded with frigid temps here. Snow, snow, and more snow, which turns to thick layers of ice. Add to that awful winds and I think every beekeeper here is torn between wanting to drag the hives inside and trying to let nature be and allow the bees to survive or not naturally. Oh, boy. I have to be honest, if I had some place to drag my babees I would. I am so hoping that they will be okay. I have heard reports from other local beeks that they have already lost some hives.
Spring can’t come soon enough. I will be so happy to see the end of winter. And, so will every one else, I am sure.
I have a brand new topbar hive waiting for fill. I want to try this type of hive too. I really like that little observation window.
Right now, I am keeping myself busy (and trying to stave off crazed bee-mama behavior) and plan a new garden with flowers and herbs that bees are attracted to. So far, I have decided on bee balm, thyme, several mints and now am checking which flowers I want. One thing I have to take into consideration is the need for a poodle-fence.
A poodle-fence? Yes, much like a rabbit or deer fench, only standard poodle sized. Both of my dogs like to lay in that garden bed and roll around on the flowers and herbs. Also, like to drink out of the fish pond. But, that is not the worst – my grand-dogs like to jump into the pond with the fish and they destroy everything in their jump flight path. ugh!

Oh, the weather outside…

It was 20 degrees yesterday. Not much warmer this morning. And, the wind! It makes it feel even colder.
I am so hoping that my little hive is doing okay, but, this cold is aawful.
It may be difficult to believe that a person can get attached to bees, but believe it. After you spend a spring and summer and into fall interacting with a living entity each day/week, checking to see if there is adequate water sources and food supplies, guarding against predators and insect and disease infestation, you do become involved in their wellbeing.
I cannot imagine the heartbreak that beeks who go out to their hives and find evidence of CCD or a hive decimated by SHB or varroa mites. Their hearts must break – I don’t care if they are old seasoned veterans of beekeeping or newbies like me.
And, now, here we are in the midst of the winter. Each time the wind kicks up and blows so hard, I can just feel that icy cold taking any warmth the bees have established.
My hive is in a sheltered corner of the house, it gets the morning sun, what there is of it. I took no honey this year, and made sure they had feed in the time of dearths. Treated for varroa (powdered sugar shakes only) and was vigilant about guarding for those stupid beetles. I have a mouse guard in place. Ugh. I guess there is not much more I can do, except, hope and pray. And, trust the bees to do as best they can.

I got a mentor!!!

So happy! I got a mentor. Finally. Thank you to the Virginia Beekeepers Guild!!
Today a wonderful man named Gene came to visit my hive. I was so nervous, someone was going to be looking at my beginner’s efforts at keeping bees. I am so happy to say that Gene said that everything looks great in my hive. There are bees, lots of bees, and larva, and capped honey and pollen and I am so happy (and relieved). If all goes well this winter, Gene said that I will need to split the hive in the spring.
It was so nice to sit and talk with someone who knows bees and is willing to share their experience and knowledge. Thank you Gene! You made my day!

Mosquito spraying….NOW???

All summer, mosquitos have eaten me alive every time I went out to check my bees. It got to the point where, bee stings – hah! nothing. Mosquito bites – help, I feel like I am in an episode of True Blood – without benefit of Bill Compton!!
So, these stupid, totally useless insects have been so bad all summer. Now, as the days begin to grow shorter, and the nights longer – what do I hear putt putt putting around the block – not once, or twice but THREE times?
The mosquito spray truck. NOW??? It was 58 degrees this AM.
I ran out to the bees, covered them with a sheet that I dampened, and I hoped I did right, and quickly. The truck was just finishing the first lap of the block, so I think I got to them in time. But, really, 2 more times.
Ugh. Stoooopid mosquitos.

Bees, Hopefully

Along with the generally attributed sympolism of fertility, industry, cooperation, unity, feminine energy, I think that I would like to add ‘hope’.
This idea started perculating in my head in the past week or so. As beekeepers begin to prepare for readying their hives for the winter, if, like me, they are thinking (but maybe not speaking the words aloud!) ‘Will my bees survive the winter?”. If it isn’t the threat of SHB, Varroa mites, wax moth, fridgid wind and rain, lack of food source that has me wondering – it is that dreaded, and as yet, unanswered possibility Colony Collapse Disorder. Coming out on a new spring morning to assess the hive, opening up only to find – nothing. A very obvious lack of workers. Gone wihtout a trace. I cannot even begin to comphrehend the heartache that one would feel were this to happen.
So, where does ‘hope’ come into all of this doom and gloom? Well, I’ll tell you. In spite of all these possible harbingers of of doom and gloom, I am going ahead full steam getting my plan for over wintering in action. Having made the decision to leave all of the honey in the hive, I am hoping that the colon will have enough food. Their water supply is my fish pond which does not freeze over, the hive is in a sheltered spot near the house facing South East. The house blocks the North winds. Continue to monitor for the pest that plague the Bees and the Beeks.
Having this plan in place, I am now faced with action that is hardest of all – Waitng.
Given the obstacles the bees and the beeks face, I think everytime someone starts a new colony, they are investing in the future of bees.
I guess it could be summed up as Wait and See. Hope for the Best.

Decisions, crossing fingers, and hoping for best –

I made a decision early on in the summer that I would not take any honey from the bees this first year. I have heard that this is the way to go, and even if it weren’t I think I would still let the honey be.
Being new at this, and still without a mentor, I am pretty much flying by the seat of my pants. I heard on the news that this winter is supposed to be particularly cold again. Hopefully, the little colony will have more than enough honey to survive till spring, if the chilling cold, the heavy rain, wind or possible snow doesn’t get them.
About two weeks ago I went out to check on the hive (just looking, not touching!) and was surprised and concerned to find that the grass seemed to be crawling with bees. Bees that looked dazed and confused! Upon closer inspection I found that they were all drones. Oh oh! It would appear that the boys have been banished from the hive. Checking with several other people this seems to be happening in other areas too. Do the bees know something that we don’t? I am thinking….yes. Cold is coming. Long cold winter. Big stores of honey needed. So I think I have made the right decision. And, if I didn’t? Well, I made it with the best intentions for Bodacea and the Babees.
Here’s wishing all of us luck.

Trials and Errors . . .

As we hit the summer honey dearth, the bees have decided that there have been many Trials and Errors since their arrival in the Spring.
Error – Mine – I picked a location that at first seemed to be ideal. A beautiful field on a horse farm. Who knew that after years of not spraying of herbicides the owner would decide to use those dreaded chemicals to rid the fields of buttercups. Horses may like to eat them, but the buttercups cause discomort in the horses mouth after a while. Buttercups must go. So too must my bees.
Trial – Bees – A midnight ride through town in the back of a car, only to be dumped into a whole new setting after having finally settled in a beautiful field – that was the first (mis)adventure. With their bee haven moved to the new site the bees came to rest on a spot that for all intents and purposes is perfect, a great sigh of relief when up throughout the hive. Home at last. The hive now sits right outside my screened in porch in the backyard. This is the ONLY place that I can control the use of pesticides and herbicides. I don’t use them, never have and never will. So little bees you are safe and have a forever home now.
Error – Mine – I thought it would be best to use a top tray hive feeder which would guarantee the bees access to a continuous food supply this first year. I filled up both sides of the feeder with Bee Syrup, put the hive cover back on, and waited a few days to check on them.
Trial – Umm…..bees are not good swimmers. Who knew that those little bees would find the one, the one and ONLY space in the screen where they could get through. Sure enough they did. And sure enough, there were quite a few little bees floating belly up in the sugar water sea.
The bees and I reached a compromise. Out came the sugar swimming pool and the little jar feeder that goes on the front of the hive is back in use. I have agreed to bring them fresh supplies each day as needed and they have agreed to dive bomb me but not sting me while I do so. All in all, I think a good solution for both parties.

The (Bee)Witching Hours . . .

At around 5 o’clock every evening, a cloud of bees are busily buzzing around the hive.
I am assuming this is the work crew returning for the day.
Today, when I went on the screened porch I looked to see a huge cloudbank of bees, buzzing about.
It made me smile.  When I started the hive, there was a little flurry of bees at the end of the day.  Then eventually, a bit more.  But, now! Now there are so many bees flying in the afternoon light it is amazing!
Beautiful!

A peek inside . . .

I took a peek inside the hive this weekend.  The bees are busy. There seems to be honey, pollen and some brood cells.  
Still can identify the queen.  I will keep trying when I visit again.  I don’t want to disturb them, so I only open it once ever week or two. Even then I don’t keep it open that long.


Bee Diseases . . .

As beekeepers, we sometimes might feel like our white coats are more of a medical than a protective garment.
The threat of disease or infestation by parasites or the dreaded CCD must be constantly watched for.
Varroa mites, nosema, American and European foulbrood, chalkbrood, small hive beetles are just a few of the terrors that can decimate a hive.  No less so the damage from a hungry skunk or bear.  Bees, comb, honey and brood are just YUMMY to them.
Having already lost my first little sweet Italian bee hive to small hive beetle infestation, (the colony started off weak due to poor shipping/handling. They were never able to recuperate from the large loss of bees.)  I am determined to learn as much as I can about the risk factors honeybees face.
Having made a committment to a natural, organic beekeeping practice, I am actively reading everything I can find about handling these dreadful diseases without chemicals.
Any suggestions for reading materials or practices that work for your hives can be posted here.  As a new bee newbie I welcome advice.


Oh those bees. .

I removed the top feeder from the hive.  I haven’t seen much feeding activity there, so I am thinking that they are preety acclimated to their new home and the food sources in the area.  I will put it back on at the end of the year when winter sets in so they will have a little extra supply of food during the cold winter months.
The bees returning from their days of foraging seem to have little loads of pollen on their legs.  Some is golden, some yellow, some even look white.  
I checked inside the hive and things appear to be going okay.  Still have not been able to identify the queen.  Do see evidence of nectar and pollen and some capped cells also.  Hopefully things are as they should be.
I do think that next hive we have will be a top bar hive which will have frames without any drawn wax in them.  The bees will make the comb to suit the hive’s needs.




Try, try again. . . .

Most new beekeepers will hear the advice ‘Start with two hives so you can compare and learn from them’.  Thankfully, I did that. Even though Aphrodite and her family were no more, I did still have my second hive to care for and enjoy.
Bodacea and her troops arrived at the post office and this time I got a phone call “Mrs. R – your bees are here. Do you want to come get them?”.  Yes!!! Yes I did, and yes I went and picked up that box of bees that very moment.
Installing this hive was completely different.  This box contained bees that were alive, buzzing and very much wanting O U T of that tiny box.  Everything went smoothly.  I must confess, those bees are a forgiving lot.  They endured my fumbling inexperience and settled into their new hive.
Unlike Aphrodite’s group, Bodacea’s hive took off like gangbusters. Within days, they were drawing comb, the foraging bees were taking off and landing as they went about their daily gathering of pollen and nectar.   Off to a good start…
Then, one night I got a message from the owner of the property where the hives were – they had decided to spray the fields with herbicide and insecticide after all.  That would start the next day. So…..
Like two bumbling comedy clowns my husband and I were in the field, in the pitch dark,bungee cording a hive of bees that were not happy to feel the earthquake shake of their home being moved.  But, move them we did. They rode in the backseat of my car. The hive was closed up, no bees were able to escape, so it was safe. And quiet. VERY VERY quiet. 
After we arrived at the house, we quickly put the hive into it’s new place.  It’s new, forever home.The bees have nothing to fear, because that hive is not moving. It is now a fixture in my yard.
Because the fields where the hives were originally have now been sprayed I will not keep bees there anymore..  Even though the use of pesticides and herbicides is common practice, I don’t use any chemicals in my gardens or yard.  I never have and never will. Just a choice that I made a long time ago.  
Bodacea and troops are doing well.  I had to add another super to the hive stack because they were already filling up the first one. Every day, we watch from the windows, the screened porch or sit on the back steps.  It is fun to watch the foragers walk out of the hive and just zoom off into the air.  It is like one moment they are sitting on the entrance and the next second they are in flight.   In the late afternoon there are hundredsof them flying around and whirling right outside the hive entrance waiting for their turn to go inside.
Watching them is very relaxing and interesting.  Even our big standard poodle, Maggie likes to look at them.  She stands almost eye to eye with the hive and gives it a little sniff and then she walks back to us, settles in on the grass and usually goes to sleep.
Long live Bodacea and her troops!
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At last!

I love honey bees.  And bumblebees.  And mason bees.  Well, I think you get the idea. 
Keeping bees has been something that I have dreamed about for a very long time.  A few months ago I thought to myself, if not now, when are you going to do it?  So, I made the leap of faith and ordered my bees and my supers, my suit and my gloves.  And, finally, in April I put my first hive in place.  Since this was the first hive, we designated the letter A, for Aphrodite to the hive. (My husband is an accountant and he likes to have things assigned names, numbers, etc. I told him that was fine, but the designation would be names not numbers. So, it was decided that we would give the queens names fit for…well, a queen!)
The first box of bees arrived (it is exactly what it sounds like) – a box filled with bees and a little tiny inner cage where a queen is housed) – thousands of bees, a buzzing box.  Unfortunately, they were dumped on my front doorstep with no notice and there they sat for two days in the wind and rain.  We had no idea they were there as we use the side door to come and go.  Sadly, when we did find them, many many of them were dead.  I installed the remainder of the hive in their new home, and supplied them with a continous supply of sugar syrup to help them get started.  They were the most gentle, sweet little bees.  Working on that hive was a pleasure.  But, I continued to worry about their little group and wonder if they would be able to survive.  They did start drawing comb and storing pollen and honey, and there was evidence of bee babies.  Still the hive remained very small.
One day, I went out there and when I opened the hive, they were still their pleasant little selves BUT, they had a new neighbor. The dreaded small hive beetle.  One of the nemesises of honeybees.    The bees were not able to make a strong enough stand against those little crap-beetles and the hive was no longer viable.  Advised by a beekeeper of many years experience, I took down the hive, and sterilized it to kill any remaining beetle presence.   But, that hive was no more.
Knowing how badly I felt about this loss, I cannot imagine how beekeepers of long standing must feel when they go to their hives and find the hives abandoned – victims of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).  I had the comfort of knowing that my hive was too weak to protect itself from the hive beetles, I had an explanation.  But, when CCD occurs, there is no definitive answer.  
 RIP – Aphrodite.  You were the first and sweetest little hive of Italian honey bees.  Installing you into my first hive was a dream come true and I will remember it forever.  The day was as close to joy as I can remember in a long time!