Winter is still alive and well here in Mica! Although we have been tempted to go through the hives during these tropical spring days, we know it’s too early to do more than verify food stores.
The bees have been super busy during these early spring days. They’ve been taking cleansing flights and aggressively foraging. Foraging for pollen, food, and water. Sometimes they get a little too hopeful. The neighbors feed a plethora of critters and added honeybees to the list.
So far we have only lost one hive this winter. Most of our losses occured in August. Some self-inflicted from failed late splits, others from yellow jacket devastation. It’s too early to give a final count, but we kept mites in check with oxcalic acid treatments and it appears to have been incredibly effective.
WATCH YOUR STEP! The girls even went after sawdust! Every spring, it’s amazing to see the bees find pollen even when we don’t see it. You can watch the hive entrances and see them bring back pollen. It’s a sure sign that it’s game-on for brood production!