Greetings Everyone from prison Tuahiwi!,
Well we are well through the lockdown stage 1, it would appear! How are you all shaping up to your compulsory holiday? Me? I’m loving it!
By now you would have hopefully cleaned out your hive(s) completed much needed maintenance like a replacement box or a repaint.
Got your hive up off the ground a bit? Winter is nearly here (I think), so those with vented bottoms shut them off with a bit of corflute (no, I meant the hive bottom box!)
If you are feeling lonely, go sit down near your girls and watch them. You now have time to actually spend because the garage is clean, gardening nearly done, minor maintenance completed (well soon anyway!)
You probably have your partner screaming in the house anyway! So take your Bee book and read the sections on bees ejecting stuff: bodies or apparently live young bees out of the hive.
Observe what these bees are doing with the youngsters and cross reference with your book or use the net (if your kids will let you on).
Watch what the wasps are doing, are they attacking bees on the ground, cutting them up and flying body parts out? If so, try and follow the direction they are going!
Study what product the bees are taking into the hive, watch for the actions of bees, how they communicate with each other.
Study where your hive is, in the open to the cold southerly? Now that the sun is going into winter mode, will your hive get the full effects of the sun?
Finally and most important, have you wintered down properly and are you feeding sugar both dry and liquid (2 to 1) mix? Remember our hive master Gordon has a power of knowledge he is only too happy to answer any questions: 0275389568.
THE ATTACHMENT: this is from a friend of mine who operates a First Aid supply business. The hand sanitiser is of top quality so just ring or send an email. The prices include delivery by local mail.
Keep on Keeping on (KoKo).
Paul O’Donnell
President.