The intermittent sunny weather is drawing out the season.
A swarm was seen near the apiary over the last weekend. None of us swarm-catchers were there to get it. Still not sure if it came from one of our hives (hopefully NOT) or was incoming. Jerry the Bee Guy also called that he had captured a swarm and could give it to us but again it was on the weekend and the swarmies were predisposed. WE SHALL KEEP TRYING!!!
Monday, May 28, 2012
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Swarm season! Bees everywhere!
Swarms began to appear a month ago but reached a peak last weekend. Although our 6 swarm traps did not collect any, there was intense scout activity at half of them. A loose swarm was collected in Oregon by Professor Evan Sugden while on a field mission and installed in one of our hives on return. Here are some pics of that exciting adventure (as swarm capture always is!)
Walking into a swarm!
Swarm up close (in a rose bush at McMenamin's, Troutdale, OR).
After it settled for the evening, it was put neatly into a box for transport to UW!
Swarm finds a home!
The swarm box is coupled with a hive, allowing the swarm bees to march right into a perfect new home! (This swarm dispersed 200 miles with some help!) Welcome swarm colony No. 1!
Walking into a swarm!
Swarm up close (in a rose bush at McMenamin's, Troutdale, OR).
After it settled for the evening, it was put neatly into a box for transport to UW!
The swarm box is coupled with a hive, allowing the swarm bees to march right into a perfect new home! (This swarm dispersed 200 miles with some help!) Welcome swarm colony No. 1!
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Cold, Rainy Weather Suppresses Activities
Waiting for those May flowers...
Rainy and cold today. The new hives were mostly not foraging, the older, established hive was sending out workers, however. No pollen coming back, not surprising considering the flower-scouring rain. The bees in the observation hive were cold and clustered toward the bottom, having abandoned a frame of mature brood above. They have no honey, will soon have to feed or take apart to insert a frame of honey. These conditions represent a dangerous crunch time for the bees, who's populations are maxing now even as nectar availability declines. This will definitely slow down the swarm season.
Rainy and cold today. The new hives were mostly not foraging, the older, established hive was sending out workers, however. No pollen coming back, not surprising considering the flower-scouring rain. The bees in the observation hive were cold and clustered toward the bottom, having abandoned a frame of mature brood above. They have no honey, will soon have to feed or take apart to insert a frame of honey. These conditions represent a dangerous crunch time for the bees, who's populations are maxing now even as nectar availability declines. This will definitely slow down the swarm season.
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