External inspection yesterday, and everything looks normal. I first mowed and trimmed about the yard including the water trough. I then blew off any debris and litter from the belting under the hives.
I wanted to clean this area up because the bees were "divebombing" again. When returning with their harvest many were hitting the landing board and falling back, or just missing it entirely, and plomping down on to the grass. They would invariably, gather their wits and male a clean entry soon after.
I read on Novice Beekeepers that it's common, when harvesting some plants, that bees literally take on too much weight to fly. This is exactly what I suspected when I was watching their activity last week.
My next concern is that the hives may become honey-bound, they fill the frames woth capped honey. This is a problem as the colony outgrows the space and then prepares to swarm. I'll need to be vigilant to any warming on the weather and ensure I provide a super for them to spread into.
But, the smell of nectar filled the yard yesterday. There was a slightly off smell earlier on the winter, but they're back on to something aromatic at the moment. It smells fabulously clean and sweet
Its funny the spur-ish smell did makes feel there may have been setting wrong I'm not worried about AFB, but setting less drastic, I suppose like carnage via,wax moth, pesticide poisoning or similar. But it's all sweet now!!
I can't wait for harvest time, even to open the hives and see what they've produced.
JOBS TO DO
1. But queen excluder
2. Make up two Ideal supers.
To be continued...
I wanted to clean this area up because the bees were "divebombing" again. When returning with their harvest many were hitting the landing board and falling back, or just missing it entirely, and plomping down on to the grass. They would invariably, gather their wits and male a clean entry soon after.
I read on Novice Beekeepers that it's common, when harvesting some plants, that bees literally take on too much weight to fly. This is exactly what I suspected when I was watching their activity last week.
My next concern is that the hives may become honey-bound, they fill the frames woth capped honey. This is a problem as the colony outgrows the space and then prepares to swarm. I'll need to be vigilant to any warming on the weather and ensure I provide a super for them to spread into.
But, the smell of nectar filled the yard yesterday. There was a slightly off smell earlier on the winter, but they're back on to something aromatic at the moment. It smells fabulously clean and sweet
Its funny the spur-ish smell did makes feel there may have been setting wrong I'm not worried about AFB, but setting less drastic, I suppose like carnage via,wax moth, pesticide poisoning or similar. But it's all sweet now!!
I can't wait for harvest time, even to open the hives and see what they've produced.
JOBS TO DO
1. But queen excluder
2. Make up two Ideal supers.
To be continued...
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