I am seeing build up in my hives that I haven't knowingly seen in years past.  It looks as though the bees were building up here like they normally would at the end of January and the middle of February, and this is happening at the third and fourth week of December and on into January.  By the way, I am located almost exactly 1/2 way between Montgomery and Mobile, Alabama.  I have two, three, and four frames of capped brood in most hives.  I've seen one capped queen cell in one hive although I saw the mother queen working, seemingly, quite happily with a big brood area and brood in all stages.  Another hive already has about ten to fifteen capped drone brood, all in a little area not much bigger than a silver dollar.

Was out looking a few minutes ago and one hive had more bees coming in with pollen than without.  The bee activity in most of the hives was quite active.  And, there seems to be some type of small nectar flow going on now.  Yellow mustard has been blooming since the middle of December and henbit is flowering, not profusely like it can, but there are florets blooming on more than a few plants.  Son said he saw the bees working the henbit earlier today quite intensely.  Had one hive that I was supplementing with syrup in two pint jars covered by an empty super.  They had started building comb up from one of the top bars.  I put an empty, drawn super on and then the jars and covering super on top of that.  Hope that keeps them happy.

I think I am going to have to put supers on a lot. lot earlier this year and keep a really close watch out for swarming indications.  I will definitely have to keep ahead of them with room for incoming nectar and ripening honey.   I just hope that I manage correctly to take advantage of this seemingly early bonanza.  If you have any thoughts, do speak out and share them.

Mike in LA  (Lower Alabama)

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html

Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at:
http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm