Feeding the Bees!

It's March and that means that it's time to give the bees a a little snack!  Each Fall as the nectar sources die down, the bees prepare their stores for the oncoming winter.  As the winter comes to a conclusion, it's important to check up on the bees to make sure their stores are sufficient enough to keep them alive until the Spring bloom.  Since the bees won't forage until it is above 54 degrees (and won't be able to function properly below 50 degrees ), we head out on the the first warm and nice day to commence the feeding.

The natural predators of bees, bears, badgers, and  racoons, are all dark-furred; it it therefore important to be dressed in light colors, as the bees will be less likely to attack. The veils are a bit tricky to put on though.....

One of our lovely hives!  The bees have been cooped up all winter, so giving them a chance to go outside must have been a relief! In the Winter, bees primarily deal with keeping the hive warm by constantly moving in a cluster around the queen.  On warm days the bees take a break to do some housekeeping and to take some long awaited bathroom breaks (as our newly stained clothes can attest to).  That dark empty space with the three wax combs in it serves as a feeding reservoir for the bees to access so they don't starve.  Even though we brought our own solution of sugary syrup, the bees don't seem to be low on their current supply.  We did however give them some pollen patties, which will provide them with essential protein until the Spring flowers bloom. 

And a job well done! Until next time folks!

--Paul