Winter check up

Theo and his dad got out to check the bees on Friday. The temperature got up to 6-7 degrees, the sun came out for a bit and the rain held off making it a good day to take a peek and see how the bees are doing.

The bees seem to be wintering well (knocking wood, crossing fingers). There were a few hives that died out but the majority were in good shape. Some of the stronger hives are running low on stores already.

Has anyone checked their bees? Are they wintering well? Have some starved out? Let us know.

Some things to remember...

You might find dead bees littering the front of the hive. It is not a cause for alarm. Bees are very hygienic and over the winter some bees die. The bees may just be cleaning the dead bees out. If you find this, just remove them. If you find what seems to be an excessive amount of dead bees on the ground in front of the hive then it could be a sign of a problem and you will want to look into it. If you find a dead hive, it is best to remove it from the bee yard as soon as possible.

Also remember that if you find a dead hive and still have to check other hives, to switch out your bee equipment. Carry a couple of extra hive tools so that you reduce the risk of spreading disease. Remember to clean your bee equipment when you are finished to reduce the spread of disease.

From this point on we will be checking the bees about every 3 weeks. Now is a good time to order pollen patties (we order from Global Patties) and they would arrive by mid February. Some beekeepers will start a partial patty for nutrition in mid February.

Now we will be assessing our equipment and thinking about what we will need for the bee season ahead. I am thinking maybe a new bee veil?