I think I may be on to the next weight loss fad. Lose inches fast! Just 30 minutes a week in a full bee suit in the middle of a Texas summer, and you too can get the body you have always dreamed about.
Even checking the hive by 10:00am is still bloody hot. The girls were still more aggressive than normal, but nothing too concerning. I did take several stings on the hands but the gloves took the blunt of the damage. They seemed more angry at the frame grip than at me at times.
After Saturday’s inspection, I decided to put the feeder back on for at least a week. With all the rain, I think there is enough blooming to maintain the hive, but not enough to build out more comb. I really believe if they could just build out the basically empty 3rd super, they would feel less crowded, and the number of queen cells I find each week would diminish. So we will see if a week of feeding will encourage more comb. I may cry if they just store it away in the 4th and 5th supers.
I went back Sunday early afternoon, and was dismayed to find a bunch of ants on the inner cover cleaning up the squished bees from Saturday’s inspection. I killed as many as I could before putting the feeder back on. Ants were the last thing I wanted to see before putting a feeder full of sugar syrup on top of the hive. Luckily, I got the hive stand with built in “moats” that I filled with water. I will probably need to go mid-week to fill them up with either more water or mineral oil. I’ve also heard that cinnamon is a good natural ant deterrent which I may try.
Sunflowers are going strong right now, and I’m not sure how much nectar they produce, but they are certainly full of pollen.
Urban Beekeeping in Austin, Texas 