Pollen Patties

Hello, it’s fall and the bees are doing well but we are closing down for the season. I have noticed some beetles a few weeks ago and added traps.This pollen patte should add nutrients for the winter.

To make pollen patties I used the following item:

Sugar

Bee-Pro Pollen

Organic Coconut oil

Essential oils

Thanks you for following and have a great holiday season!

Urban Oasis

On a less bee-related topic, it is the second year that my grapevine produced. I am now trying to think of what to do with my bounty.

The next step will be creating a jam/jelly if I don’t eat them all. This year’s garden has been tough on cucumbers. I found one today…

The lone cucumber 🥒

I will add an update on what these grapes turn into if I don’t eat them all.

Bee Safe! Michelle

Beehive Move: July 2020

Here is a recently finished video of our movement bees from the nuc to regular hive.

Here are beekeeper terms that were used in this video:

  1. Bearding is a term referring to bees accumulating at the front of the hive, in a beard-like shape. Bees do this to make room inside the hive for added ventilation on a hot and humid day.
  2. Frame is a piece of equipment made of either wood or plastic designed to hold the honey comb.
  3. Hive tool is a metal device used to open hives, pry frames apart, and scrape wax and propolis from the hive parts.
  4. Nucleus is a hive of bees which consists of fewer frames than a typical hive and may be smaller in size. A nucleus usually consists of two to five frames of comb and used primarily for starting new colonies or rearing or storing queens; also called and commonly referred to a nuc.
  5. Smoker is a device in which materials are slowly burned to produce smoke (not flames) which is used to subdue bees. It is important to use a material that produces a cool smoke as not to harm the bees.
  6. Queen is a female bee with a fully developed reproductive system, and she is larger and longer than a worker bee.

Sunflowers

Despite the summer heat, this has been a good year for sunflowers. I tried to grow some exotic colors but the seeds that did the best we’re the Mammoth ones that I purchased at the Dollar Tree.

More than 7 ft tall

I love this time of year, so that I can watch the many pollenators in my yard! Enjoy the summer and bee safe!

Summer Gardening

With the summer heat, the weeds have gotten out of control. Here are some photos of our early morning work at Park Heights Community Health Alliance.

Adding Frames

The hives are healthy and it’s time to let them expand and add frames.

Photo of two boxes
Inside second box
Frames added

I’ll check in again soon!

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