Year 7 Early March - A Glimpse of Spring's Prelude 🖊️
-Spring pollen? Not now, but soon.🌷
Ah, the moments preceding the inevitable spring blizzard in Wyoming:
- Mountain winds rush with the speed of hurricanes, banishing cold valley air.
- Snow and ice surrender swiftly to the warmth.
- Skies unveil a panorama of clear, bright, and blue.
- The thermometer inches towards the delightful upper 50s F.
In these fleeting conditions, our industrious bees seize a brief opportunity to:
- Break free from their winter cluster.
- Take a refreshing flight.
- Collect droplets of water.
- Tidy up their humble abode.
And just like our buzzing companions, it’s the perfect time for a beekeeper to make a visit to the beeyard.
Granted, it’s still too early and brisk in Wyoming to perform major hive inspections. No prying open hive boxes just yet. However, it’s an excellent window to:
- Rectify any lingering winter damage.
- Monitor entrance activity for signs of life.
- Give the hives a gentle heft to gauge their feed requirements.
Yesterday, I strolled through that little yard, and things are shaping up well. The hives:
- Maintained the status quo from my last visit in January.
- Buzzed with life.
- Showed no traces of dysentery, deceased bees, or unwanted visitors.
- Wore a substantial weight from ample feed.
The hive weight confirmed a familiar pattern – situated below and behind the winter clusters nestled in the central front of the top box.
Typically, I winter some hives in 3 deep boxes. However, for a little experiment, one hive faced the winter in 2 deeps. This particular hive, equipped with its upper entrance, felt akin to a vertical mirror image of a standard 2-story hive featuring a bottom entrance when hefted.
So far, it seems to have weathered winter just as well, if not slightly better, than a conventional 2-story hive with a bottom entrance. Surprisingly, it matched the resilience of those sturdier 3-story hives.
With the limited number of hives, it’s not a conclusive test.
Today
As the blizzard sweeps in today, my spirits remain undaunted. This snowy interruption is but a minor hiccup in the grand progression towards spring.
In just a few short weeks, water and even a hint of pollen will grace our surroundings. The magnificent cycle of life will burst forth.
In my climate, nurturing robust colonies with the wisdom and resources to flourish takes time. Admittedly, not all make it through the journey. Only 3 out of the initial 5 packages have persevered thus far – an outcome I anticipated based on past experiences.
Yet, these hives are in their prime, and spring is on the cusp of unfolding. What an exhilarating time to be alive! ✨
-Cheers to the buzzing life, D 🐝🤠
