Cover on winter wrap

We wondered, when we put the winter wraps over the hives, whether the covers, which rest a bit precariously on top of the wraps, were sufficiently secure for winter weather? They fit over side to side, but not front and back. We put several bricks on the top of each top, hoping the extra weight would keep the covers in place. But... sure enough...the yellow hive's cover slipped forward an inch. This week, I will figure out how to keep the covers securely in place, perhaps with braces; tapes and ratchets around the hives would do the trick, too.

For the record

Our bees are flying at mid-day on sunny days when the thermometer is 55F and above, and taking fall-formula syrup from their pan in front of the hives.

Empty dish

Checked on the bees in late afternoon, and found their dish empty of syrup. So... will top it up, in the morning. Either someone else is lapping it up, or they are flying during the warmest part of the day when the sun is full on their hives.

More 1:1 syrup!

Yesterday afternoon, the bees consumed all but a cup or so of their 1:1 (by weight) syrup from the last batch, and yesterday evening made up a fresh batch from 2 kg of granulated cane sugar and 2 liters of water (which very handily 2/3rds fills a 4-liter water bottle). Today, the temperature dropped from 60F to 50F and they stayed inside; spurned the syrup. Yesterday, they were no longer flying over the pan for pollen, but rather were clustered on the cedar branches on the surface of the pan; perhaps the goldenrod and aster pollen opportunity has passed? Hard to tell, now their entrances are reduced, if they're evaporating. I can freeze the syrup made yesterday evening, if it doesn't warm up again this year.

1:1 cane sugar syrup

At last! On this warm (60F by my old outdoor/indoor thermometer) and sunny November day the bees are taking their 1:1 (fall formula) cane sugar syrup poured over cedar branch-ends in an enameled cast-iron flat baking dish set on a chair right in front of their hives! If that's how they like it, that's how it will be offered from this time forward. Winter bees are darker than their summer predecessors. And, our winter bees have been flying midday in all except the rainiest weather, gathering pollen, my guess is from spent goldenrod and asters.

Challenged by the White House!

From the South Lawn, a Sweet Smell of Honey - The New York Times

Source: www.nytimes.com

For the first time in history, honey has been made on White House grounds. It’s a bumper crop.

Cozy for winter

The top photo shows the hives prepped for winter per Paul Kelly's instructions posted here on 29 October. The middle photo shows the reduced entrance in process of discovery; and the bottom photo shows the new top entrance, ditto. That top entrance is designed to allow moisture generated inside the hive to escape so the hive stays warmer, and/but at the moment the bees seem enthusiastic about this as an entrance/exit. Perhaps they're just assessing how much trouble this will be to guard.

Today, the YBeek was felled by an alien bug (i.e. not a honey bee), along with his mum. Get well soon!

So...the YBeek's dad and I winterized the hives.

RE weight of the hives, we found the red hive "heavy" in both boxes although lighter in the bottom box; the yellow hive judged 3/4 of that weight.

The front feeder rigged in the casserole pan with 1:1 sugar syrup with a bit of honey dribbled on top was enjoyed during the past couple of days; the inside feeders were almost completely disregarded for the past month. Rain during the night diluted the front feeder's contents, and I will soon go down to fix that.

RE beek clothing: The more successful (this time) rig for the person not wearing the bee suit was pants covered by overalls tucked into rubber boots, a long sleeved cotton shirt tucked in, and an Eddie Bauer windbreaker with the wrists clamped tight, the bottom string as tight as possible, zipped up, the hood up and closed tight as possible, and this was completely successful preventing entry to the lower 4/5ths. The bee hats worn over the hood were unsuccessful. The bee hood worn under the windbreaker on the third try was the most successful. I will soon buy another adult (supersize) bee suit.

NB for 2010: In 2009, those inside feeders have proven themselves useless, particularly with a fall formula sugar syrup, which crystalizes over the holes through which the bees are supposed to feed. Poor bees!