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Friday, September 20, 2013

Early Autumn Bees

The bees have been busy.   No looting this year [knock wood] but plenty of action.   Last year at this time they gave us a bit of honey and we're hoping for a bit more this year.  

We have a good fall nectar flow here.  Acres of wildflowers, mostly goldenrod and Queen Anne's lace, but a good bit of Joe Pye Weed, ironweed, thistle and asters.   Also, the smooth sumac bloomed very late this year.  





The bees were all over the asters and the garlic chives in the garden.  All. Over.  Them.   It's nice to go and stand quietly next to those areas in the garden and watch the movement and listen to the buzz of hundreds of happy bees.   

We'll start to button up the hives for winter in October.  That'll mean pulling off the extra honey, tucking the small new hive in with some extra insulation board inside and adding some candy to the tops of all of the hives for the winter.   The candy will help insulate the hives and keep the heat in.