Great News, Bees are Strong!

DayValleyDahlias · March 16, 2010, 03:30:47 AM

A very kind gentleman Jeff Perez came over and helped me inspect my 2 hives. I bought them as 3# packages 2 years ago, and took care of them diligently the first year...last year I did not give them much attention. No feed, no entrance reducer, 'nuttin...not proud of that, but I was inundated with family issues...

I am so very happy to say, that these bees are doing grand. Strong, healthy, good brood pattern with kick a** queens.

Did a little tweaking of boxes, other than that...a ok!

Now I can get back in the saddle again!

Kathyp · March 16, 2010, 10:26:16 AM

glad to see you back.

your bees are proof that sometimes the do fine (if not better) without our intervention.

JP · March 16, 2010, 10:30:33 AM

Good for you Sharon!

...JP

David LaFerney · March 16, 2010, 12:19:58 PM

I wonder if letting them have a fallow year - swarm, eat their own honey, and do the things that bees naturally do - might not be good for them.

DayValleyDahlias · March 16, 2010, 02:38:33 PM

I can only speak from my experience here, the season on their own didn't harm them at all from what we could see.

I am grateful for nature.

Nice thing is, they had tons of stores!

We have very mild Winters here as well, moderate climate.

Two Bees · March 16, 2010, 02:55:00 PM

I guess they survived because of all of the love that you gave them in their first year. :)

annette · March 16, 2010, 10:51:59 PM

Great news Sharon. I am so happy for you and hope to see you more often on the forum. But I do find it amazing that the bees were in such good condition. Gee, I think I will neglect my bees for a while and see what happens.

Love
Annette

DayValleyDahlias · March 17, 2010, 12:38:25 PM

Quote from: Two Bees on March 16, 2010, 02:55:00 PM
I guess they survived because of all of the love that you gave them in their first year. :)

OOHH I like that theory!