Bee Yard Inspection at Prairie Wildlife

Yesterday Mark drove out to Prairie Wildlife in West Point to add honey supers in anticipation of the soybeans blooming. He was upset to find that since his last visit two or three of the hives' lids had been blown off in the recent storms. We have no idea how long the bees had to put up with all of that light, wind, and rain! Not their favorite way to live.

So today, after the rain storm and power outage (!) he loaded the 4-wheeler onto the trailer, put heavier lids in the back of the truck, and we headed out. Thankfully, it was only 75 degrees! Not that it lasted . . .

We looked through all of the hives except the "tower of power" on the end. For the most part, they're doing well, though growing more slowly than we anticipated. Most are not generating excess honey stores yet.

We found one hive that was queenless but loaded with honey and pollen. We combined it with one of the hives that had been exposed to the elements, but still had a healthy queen. We hope they'll join forces and create a strong, healthy colony.

It was nice to be out with Mark, working the bees together. I've missed it.

Photo highlights:

It wasn't smoky . . . my lens fogged up when I got out of the truck. ;-)

All of the hives, before we inspected.

Snack time!

If you can't see the queen here, folks, I can't help you.

These bees are making use of every cell -- pollen is interspersed with uncapped and capped brood.

Pretty, fresh brood comb. Well done, Queenie!

Newspaper combining a healthy colony with a queenless colony.

Three hives for Prairie Wildlife

Remember Hattie?

Mark has been working with her bees to get them ready to move. On Friday night, 5/26, Mark and I went out to eat at Pop's BBQ in Columbus, sold 3 jars of honey while we were there, then went to Hattie's to move the bees. In the near dark, Mark stapled screens to the front entrance to keep the bees from flying out, and carried them to the truck. Lightning bugs kept me entertained while he dealt with the work!

Saturday morning we got up early and were on the road before 6 a.m. We drove to Prairie Wildlife, where Mark set out 2 hives, and newspaper-combined a third because it was queenless. (Well, Mark had killed the queen because these were some seriously aggressive bees.) It was a lovely sunrise, with mist rising off of the pond, ducks waddling in the road, and morning glories blushing in the early light. It was also lovely because we stopped at Hoover's Bakery afterward and got apple fritters.

Photo highlights:

Sunrise from the truck.

The pond in the morning mist.

This is the row of hives after Mark got done adding the new colonies.

This is a slatted bottom board before the oil trap slides in below. It gives the bees more room and air circulation during the hot summer.

2 New Bee Yards

Mark and Robert left the house early to move bees to a bee yard they'd set up recently at the Tripletts' camp house. They did not bring home the cute puppy someone dumped off there, but they now have 3 hives on the five stands that are in place.

When they returned (by way of the Old Country Bakery), I was attempting to clear the raised beds and get them ready to plant. I'd taken the day off work to catch up after an incredibly busy weekend spent entertaining friends from south MS, and had two tomato plants from the MSU Horticulture Club plant sale that really needed to be planted. It was a beautiful, cool morning, so I figured I'd best get busy.

Robert figured out that his dad really wanted me to join them on their adventure to Prairie Wildlife and I wouldn't go until my job was done, so he grabbed a hoe and got busy whacking at the bermudagrass and weeds that Mark had toasted with glyphosate a couple weeks ago. In no, time, we had the beds cleared and my tomato plants in the ground.

Off we went to West Point, to install a dozen bee hive stands in partnership with the owners of Prairie Wildlife, which has about 1,200 acres of restored prairie that is blooming with native flowers and grasses. It's eye-popping pretty.

While Mark set the stands where he wanted them, Robert investigated the pond. Within moments, he was walking toward me with something in his hands . . .

. . . a young frog, with its tadpole-tail still showing a bit.

Later, he found blackberries.

We met Xavier, who made sure the bee stands were approved in the location Mark selected. Later, we met Doug, and some very friendly mules but by that point in the day my camera battery was dead.

After we set the stands, we went on a Bee Rescue mission, but that is another post, and not for the faint of heart -- neglected bees in the shade = wax moths, hive beetles, termites, and slime. :-(