31 MAY 2009

On Sunday, 31 May, the Young Beekeeper brought his Aunt Laura and friends to see the bees.    She took some photos, for which we thank her!   Below (top), a photo of a serious-minded Young Beekeeper in kit.   Below (bottom):   we're still feeding the red hive (weaker) with spring-formula syrup, and we took this opportunity to refill the jar.  

Ontario Beekeepers' Association Seminar

Saturday, 23 May 2009, the Young Beekeeper and I went along to a beginners' beekeepers' seminar in Guelph, given by the OBA.   The Young Beekeeper observed that the coolest thing we saw all day was a bee born--emerge from her cell.   He learned to pick up a drone by the thorax.   I was electrified to discover that despite the frost we had a few days ago which knocked back some lilies adjacent to our hives and did other damage (and even though some hives in Southern Ontario are still wrapped for winter) our beehives should have their summer entrances in place.  (A job for me for today.)  One of our instructors gave me a lift in the OBA's tech van from the classroom to the "yard" and I asked RE two brood boxes (standard in days of yore) and one brood box (common hereabouts nowadays), and was told that although "we don't tell anyone," it takes a LOT more expertise to manage bees in one brood box than in two, and the great advantage of one brood box is varroa mite control; keeping bees in the 1970's and 1980's, as we did, was relatively simple, compared to today, when "you almost need to be a scientist."   We sat next to a member of the Toronto beekeepers' association, fresh from performing tasks on the roof of the Royal York Hotel.   I asked RE membership, and he replied that the club had this year expanded membership from 20 to 40, and someone wishing to join in 2010 should go along to the March information meeting and apply.  

Removed the pan-feeder, Tuesday, 19 May

Removed the pan-feeder in front of the hives, because this had been discovered by black ants.   The bees are flying today!   

Patrick met the bees--Sunday, 17 May 2009

The Fabulous Four came along for Sunday/Monday, and Patrick, aka the Erstwhile Beekeeper, took these photos.

Saturday, 16 May 2009

The Young Beekeeper arrived at 7:30 a.m. or so, on a cloudy (rained earlier) cool day with a very light breeze.   The bees were not yet flying.   

1. Put the second brood box on each hive.   We placed nine frames in each box; interestingly, ten frames wouldn't fit. 

2. We didn't look into the lower boxes, except to withdraw the drone comb frame, and replace with a new frame.   (The Bradley/yellow hive had begun to raise a few square inches of comb on the surface of their drone comb; the queen had not commenced to lay there.)   We placed each hive's drone comb frame in each hive's upper brood box, second from the right (facing forward).  

 3. RE food, the Emily/red hive had eaten all of their sugar syrup (1 litre Mason jar); the Bradley/yellow hive had not eaten three inches in their bottle; the Young Beekeeper assumes that this is because they were stronger and had more honey to start with.   We put the yellow hive's leftovers into a shallow dish, and placed cedar scraps there so the bees wouldn't drown, and placed this on a stool in front of the red hive.    We decided to set up a checking-schedule to make sure the bees had all the food they wanted.

4.  We scraped off some burr comb on the underside of the inner cover, and reserved it for candle-making.  And a few scraps were left on the bottom of the wheelbarrow, which went to the house, and several hours later twenty or so bees were frantically attempting to rescue the scraps.   So, I wheeled to the hives, and gently tipped the tiny load on to the grass.  

5.  In the afternoon, the Young Beekeeper placed a pint feeder-jar of syrup on the inside cover of the red hive.  

Off to school!

The Young Bee-Keeper, wearing a bee veil and hat, took a bee to school in a jelly jar with a hole in the lid;  the bee was very rightly upset, but calmed down when the jar was placed in a black garbage bag. 

Pear trees in bloom

9: 30 a.m.   Pear trees coming into bloom this morning; bees just waking up:   we have a treat for them today!  The coon has departed from the tree above the pond, evidently having eaten the frogs, alas.