It's been a while since the last update, and that's because... not much is going on in the hives right now. Starting sometime in July is the end of the early nectar flow in our area. The colonies at TLC Apiary have built up very nicely, but they are going to have to coast for a little while.
Hive #3 (the trouble maker) has a little catching up to do, since no eggs were laid in the brief period between when the original queen was pulled for the artificial swarm, and when the new queen was mating and began laying. Lately, each time I visit, I've been pulling a frame of capped brood from Hive #1 (the rockstar) and trading it with an empty frame from #3. Hive #1 can certainly spare it, and maybe even benefit from the extra space; and I think Hive #3 is just about caught up.
Also, since they have drawn comb in all of their frames now, I'm going to stop feeding (finally). Boiling water and mixing up sugar syrup is hands-down my least favorite part of beekeeping. If they continue to thrive, and we have a decent fall nectar flow, I won't be feeding again this year (maybe never).
Last but not least, we had a great Open Hive Day last month. About a dozen people made it out in the sweltering heat to get an up-close look at the hives. A wary few donned bee veils and even held a frame of bees for me during an inspection. I think a few people caught the bug, and we'll have some new beekeepers in the area next year! There are some great photos of the event; check them out here.
August 20th Open Hive Day- wow what a great experience! We saw the queen and her entourage.
ReplyDeleteHeld a drone with no worries of being stung- ever. Learned so much and recommend it, what a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
Thanks Dan and Maya!