Hi Everyone,
 
I've got two questions for the list:
 
First, does anyone have suggestions for enticing bees to draw out foundation
into comb?  We're in the middle of a heavy blackberry flow here in Western
Washington State, U.S.A., and my bees are bringing in a full and capped western
super every 12 days when they are given comb.  I have nine colonies.
 
Now I'm out of comb and have given them some boxes of foundation, which have
been largely ignored.  Are there any tricks to making them draw it out, other
than the "hurry up and wait" method I've used in previous years?  I would like
to have more boxes of comb so I don't have to extract so frequently, and to
increase production.
 
Also, last year I got some honey around blackberry time which had a distinctly
light green color to it.  The taste was mild and very good.  I have heard that
purple loosetrife (sp?) can produce this, but most of it has been eradicated
here by a noxious weed control program.  Does anyone know what else could make
green honey?  Another keeper in my bee association who doesn't live far away
also had green honey.  We have a booth at the state fair every year with a
honey display and the variety of different kinds and colors is really amazing
considering they are all produced locally.
 
Thanks!
 
Kris Bruland
Member of Mt. Baker Beekeepers Association
Bellingham, WA  U.S.A.