Year 6 Late May - Navigating Weather Whims with My Bee Bunch 🖊️

-Not the greatest weather, extending into the third week of May.

Late May: Rollercoaster Weather and Beekeeping Adventures

It’s a bit chilly, but not chilly enough to ground my buzzing companions. So, today, I decided to crack open the brood nests and:

• Check out the brood pattern.
• Keep an eye out for any unwelcome pests and signs of diseases.
• Top up their meals where needed.
• Switch things up with a top entrance.
• Throw in a third deep box for good measure.

The Good Buzz

The brood patterns were neat and tidy.

No signs whatsoever of any brood disease. Those few deceased larvae I spotted earlier? Probably just feeling the chill. Typically, chilled brood tends to sport more of a tan to yellowish hue. So, if these little ones did battle slow-motion CCD, it looks like the bees handled it like champs.

Fantastic news, considering any whiff of slow-motion CCD could’ve meant game over for my equipment and quite possibly my beekeeping journey.

Found some drone larvae/pupa hanging out in the ladder comb between the boxes. Splitting the boxes exposed the brood, making it easy to check for varroa mites. Good news again – not a single mite in sight.

Plus, the bees have finally ditched the sugar sipping and are out there making an honest living.

Not-So-Great Buzz

The powerhouse hive and the weaker one decided to throw a bit of a swarm party. With the unpredictable weather, the newly crowned virgin queens couldn’t seal the deal with successful mating flights. So now, these hives are dealing with:

• One-third of the bees they had just a month ago.
• A few frames of sealed brood.
• Zilch in terms of eggs or larvae to raise a new queen.
• Slim chances of pulling off a solo act.

If only I had checkerboarded these hives; perhaps the swarming wouldn’t have been on their agenda. Alas, I didn’t have a third box of comb to play with. Foundation wasn’t an option, and the weather wasn’t on my side.

Working with nature means sometimes giving more than you take. Here’s hoping those swarms tough it out.

The remaining queenless colonies turned out smaller than expected. It’s a common bee move to switch allegiances from a queenless hive to one with a reigning queen when times get tough.

And guess what? The two queenright hives showcase exactly that. Packed with bees, brood, and food. One of them is in the process of swapping out their queen. Can’t say I’m too sad about it. Perhaps the new one will bring a bit more zen to the hive.

In a warmer season, I’d toss in a frame of eggs and young larvae from another hive to help the queenless ones. But this season is stubbornly cold and about three weeks behind schedule. No time for that now. My plan is to:

• Merge them.
• Throw in a frame with a sealed supersedure queen cell from the feisty hive.
• Cross my fingers and hope for the best.

Upper Entrances

Skunk skirmishes have been the one consistent feature of my beekeeping life since returning from Florida. The severe drought has funneled skunks along the river where my bees call home. I’ve tested out some natural and not-so-natural solutions. No signs of skunk misbehavior yet, but it’s early days. When the prairie dries up, they’re sure to make a comeback.

This year, I’m trying out top entrances as a preemptive strike. I’ve:

• Swapped out the migratory covers with migratory bottom boards.
• Plugged up the bottom entrances with wooden strips.
• Slipped in entrance reducers in the newfound top entrances.

Top entrances are a new experiment for me. Back in my commercial beekeeping days, I dealt with countless hives that accidentally had top entrances due to busted or rotten covers. I developed a distaste for them – usually, they were a pain to handle, and I’d often come away with a few extra stings. So, when faced with those hives on my side of the yard, I’d:

• Suit up with gloves.
• Tie my pant legs closed.
• Refill the smoker.
• Tighten the veil.
• Save those hives for last.

Maybe I’ve just unleashed a new challenge.

Photo Oopsie

I left my camera behind but still had my trusty 5-year-old cell phone. So, I made do with it:

• Got home.
• Emailed the images to myself.
• And poof! Nowhere but on my phone.

Is Verizon subtly nudging me toward a shiny new smartphone and a fresh data plan?

Certainty Uncertainty

Judging by how the hives sailed through winter and early spring, I was expecting a more promising start. But depending on how the dice roll, I might end up with two thriving hives and one cruising at an average pace. Mating hiccups could even bring my hive count down to a solo star!

While I’d love to dive into introducing some queens, my schedule begs to differ. I’ll be out of town for a while. Que sera, sera.

That’s beekeeping for you, especially on the hobbyist’s path. ✨

-Cheers, D 🌨️🐝