Ok we’ve had snow and sledged and snow and sledged and yes more snow and sledged. It was fun the first couple of times. We’d prefer it if there was not a Beast from the East 3 and my bees, the only colony that has survived (colony 2 succumbed to starvation last week despite candy and fondant feeding) is needing a warm spring now and for the flowers to come out, please!
So it was important today to see if there were any stores in the remaining hive and it’s confirmed that the bees are on a knife edge and the candy is essential. Also essential is the local forage including early cherry blossom and willow catkins.
I had an accomplice today which meant some great bee frame close ups could be taken which clearly show the different stages of bee development from upright matchstick eggs in cells (up to day 3) to curly pearly white larvae, to sealed brood waiting to hatch. You can see bees with the yellow pollen on their back legs in their ‘paniers’ to feed to the young brood for their development.
