Statehood Day 2-27-16

On this 72° day as I get ready to work and sitting back by one of the hives in our yard. Watching the girls finish some remnant food stores I gave to them a couple weeks ago. They are also bringing in pollen if you can believe that. I've noticed several going into the hive was full Paulen baskets. I'm not sure what they're bringing in but they're loaded down.

They are bees busy cleaning house and working to bring in pollen.

2-20-16 Visit

Well...looking at 50/50 currently with hives. Al remaining hives are fed and seem strong. Crossing my fingers for the next 30 days to get through what we have left of winter.

A quick check.

One hive good at home.

12-10-15

What a wonderful day it has been. I had planned to check the bees yesterday however I noticed today was even going to be warmer. Little breezy but not as bad as I thought it was going to be. Checked and fed all hives. Relaxing now with a cuppa coffee watching one of the hives in my back yard gobble up some of the surplus honey that was left over from the hive that died.

The girls eating on some winter patty at their entrance. This was at the orchard.

This is what both Vinyard hives looked like. Two left there.

From one hive in my backyard. Can't imagine what they're thinking except for it's Christmas!

12-6-15

 The girls popped their head out and are doing some cleansing flights I'm sure. Was able to open boxes at home and feed them, though they did have some left from over a month ago. One box had decent numbers coming to top when I opened the top cover however on the other I couldn't even see any in honey super on top. Hoping they are down below as I did see a few coming out of reducer. Hoping it isn't just being robbed. It's 48° and sunny.

Update 11-13-15

Wrapped all colonies. Found one at vineyard already defunct. Two others there seem week. Others very aggressive as I closed down their reducers and protected them from mice. The defunct hive had been totally raided. Very little bees were left so I assume they did not just die of freezing.

It's been a very busy past two months. Have been only out to harvest frames twice and reduce honey supers down to two deeps boxes and and a honey. About ready to extract honey from frames and add winter patties to supplement going into late fall and start of winter. The bees are still bringing in pollen and it's been unseasonably warm. It was in mid 90's here yesterday. Stay tuned!