Billions and Billions of Bees ( Drones too ) heehee

[DayValleyDahlias]

Got home today around 1:30 and was worried that there was some swarming going on.  I had just inspected 1 week ago and all looked grand.  Added a medium super, and opened things up for the queen.

As I walked to the colonies, I noticed just a huge amount of bees at the entrances ( I still have the reducers on ).

It looked as though some of the bees were crawling under the SBB, and out the back!  Many were drones...Is is usual to see drones flying this time of year?

Should I take the entrance reducers off?

Tankie Yous  S

[JP]

Sharon, I think you are seeing the results of early spring build up, hence the additional bees and drones are a sign that spring is here.

Take the reducers off and make 'em happy.


...JP

[DayValleyDahlias]

Thanks as always JP!

It's off with the doors today!

XOX

S

[Shawn]

Good question about the entrance reducer. How do you know if you have enough bees to protect the hive having no reducer? I ask because last year I was robbed. 

[DayValleyDahlias]

Hi Shawn,

I am going to keep an eye on the hives...If I see robbing I will place the reducers back on.

At first I though there might have been robbing, but it was actually the girls removing drones!  I have a lot of drones being removed this weekend! So long boys...ahhh