Time to do some housecleaning, or more specifically hive cleaning. My (2) three-pound packages of bees — an entire colony with queen, approximately 10,000 bees each, will be arriving over the weekend. Time to get my hive boxes ready to accept them.
I lost two hives last season, and left them, all closed up, throughout the winter. Now it is time to “open” the empty boxes and prepare for installing the new colonies. I needed to break down the hives — leaving only one hive box. I also wanted to make sure I had the appropriate frames in the box. I only wanted two frames of honey – needed food, and the rest of the nine total frames open so the queen has room to lay her eggs.
This is how the hives look once ready. They are only one box deep whereas the “overwintered” hive (a colony from last year that has survived the winter) in the back of the photo still has its hive built up.
Here is the overwintered hive. It was a beautiful day yesterday — 60’s, sunny, still, and the bees were out! The black covering is an insulator for the winter months. It is black because it will absorb the sun. Once the weather holds steady, maybe in a week or so, I will take it off. The mess on the outside is their poop. Bees will not excavate in the hive.
Spring is here (knock on wood). Get out in the yard and do some work, or just sit and soak up the warming sun! It will make you feel so good!
Pandemic: On that note, yes. get outside, but if you will be around other people, please wear a mask and practice social distancing. Remember, we want to protect our heroes on the “front lines” by not putting them at more risk than they already are. Don’t get yourself sick by relaxing the rules. We can turn this nasty pandemic around.
#beekeeping #beekeepinginMN #beekeepinginnorthernclimates #midwestbeekeeping #backyardbeekeeping #hobbybeekeeping #spring #nature #pollinators #protectourpollinators
A Gardener's Diary 