Get a grip woman!

Baileys_Babe

themadvix said:

What?! It’s never dull in these parts SL! And I agree- bees seem to be very complicated, but it’s always interesting to hear about them.

I agree, I find it fascinating. I learn so much from reading your diary, some is directly relevant to my life and interests and some widens my general knowledge.

Karmacat

I love the bee posts in particular, SL.  And the close-knit community you live in is amazing - the day to day of that is fascinating to me.  And ... well, everything, really!  Love it.  

Suffolk_lass

A little patch of drone brood. No worker brood (also a squashed queen cell). They were doomed so we shook them out in front of their neighbouring colony. In the top left is capped stores, the yellow is pollen, ready to feed the larvae and then the capped drone brood.

The shiny cels are where they have been storing but not capping the syrup we have been feeding them. The collection of smaller cells in a squashed flat queen cell where I squashed all the frames together to bring them home.

SandyShores

Suffolk_lass said:

A little patch of drone brood. No worker brood (also a squashed queen cell). They were doomed so we shook them out in front of their neighbouring colony. In the top left is capped stores, the yellow is pollen, ready to feed the larvae and then the capped drone brood.

The shiny cels are where they have been storing but not capping the syrup we have been feeding them. The collection of smaller cells in a squashed flat queen cell where I squashed all the frames together to bring them home.

Think I can see a little pair of Antenna peeping out bottom left?

boxofpaws

Bees are absolutely fascinating! I love hearing about all the politics 😍

Suffolk_lass

Yes @SandyShores another drone emerging. Don't worry about drones, they move between colonies (tart-like) looking for mating opportunities with virgin queens and expecting the workers (all female) to feed them and contribute no work to the colonies. Their sole role is to ensure Queens are well mated, and as soon as they do, they die. The workers in spring and summer, literally work themselves to death in 6 weeks or so, doing the house cleaning, undertaking, feeding larvae, collecting pollen and nectar, and guarding the hive. When I went back to the shaken out colony yesterday to collect the unused syrup in a sensible container, there were guarding trying to fly into my face. They were not happy. The original colony must have felt they were being invaded. There were quite a lot of dead bees too, where the evicted crew should have brought gifts and begged their way in, but might have tried to march in en-masse

Suffolk_lass

A pleasing round figure in the bills current account this morning will act as an incentive to spend nothing this week. I do like it all Tilly-tidy.

greent

Another one here who particularly likes the bee-talk - although I like all of the diary, the bee stuff is all new to me. DH had thoughts about keeping bees but your posts show just how much work goes into it (he had those idyllic-lifestyle thoughts that aren't in any way practical - bees buzzing around hives set under a number of fruit trees, chickens free ranging their way around the same area... where it is always sunny and you can hear a brook babbling along gently and all sorts of birds gently tweeting their way around... 🙄)

Suffolk_lass

Hmm, yes @greent - it is harder than a lot of people think, but can be done at a minimum level. We are like new parents who keep going into the nursery to check the baby is still breathing. In the case of bees it's a good idea to leave them to it as much as we can except as swarm season approaches (end of April last year). Then we do need to check if they are planning to abscond and control them if they are.

Suffolk_lass

Oh yes, my 92 year old Mum has Covid. She went for coffee on Friday and one of their number was spluttering with "cold and cough" and has clearly infected the others. The vector can't test herself as she is registered blind but as I said to Mum, that does not stop her knowing she is contagious with a covid virus, even if it is "only" a cold and not going along and sharing it with others! Mum was feeling cold and streaming yesterday (and tested positive). I'm due to text her but might give it an hour this morning, sleep is the best medicine.

My Sis has been in to see her because, well she is her carer, and they spent Sunday together so she is also likely to catch it now. At least Mum is in clean bed linen after Sis saw to all that.