It never ceases to amaze me, how quickly the long knives and snide
remarks come, once the moderator leaves for a few days. Well, they do
say, 'while the cats away, the MICE do play'. Hurry back Aaron,
you're sorely missed.
        Joel, recently asked if anyone else has such a strange spring. We
do. In all the years keeping bees I've never seen anything like it.
Hives literally bulging with bees, lots started making moves to
swarm, nectar almost dripping out the front entrance. In fact I could
start extracting. Most hives have 4-5 capped frames already. Bees so
gentle you could pat them.
        With all the good news, there has to be some bad. Yesterday my wife
and I went to make up some nucs, both 3 frame and babys. The
difference in the bees was startling. In just two days they've turned
real mean, and I mean, 'mean'.  From hives worked without smoke and
hardly any protection, to so many stings we lost count.
        When the smoke cleared, and we pulled the last stinger, we realized
that there is a major dearth. Nothing, only a few Hawthorn bushes,
and I suspect that with our dryness even they're not producing. It is
the most incredible thing to see, not a wild flower or bush, tree,
producing any nectar. Watching the hive entrances there are only one
or two bees moving around. If I didn't know better I would suspect
that every hive had swarmed and gone.
        Perhaps it might be better to leave that honey on, unless we get
some rain soon they might need it.
        So, the old saying 'never judge a hive's temper on one visit' really
comes to mind, as yesterday I would have set to and re-queened
everything.
        Anyone know the rain dance??
 
 
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David Eyre,Owner.
The Bee Works, 9 Progress Drive, Unit 2,
Orillia. ON. L3V 6H1. Canada.
Agents for E.H.Thorne & B.J.Sherriff.
http://www.muskoka.net/~beeworks
e-mail<[log in to unmask]
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