Hi everyone!
I have enjoyed watching the bees fly on these nice Fall days. Around this time most years the bees just kind of fade into the sunset. Not much you can do for them and Spring hasnt sprung!
It's hard having to wait so many months. Especially to see how many sucessfully overwintered.
I know that I will lose a few, but I keep hoping that next year will be better. I think the mites are still putting a hurting on them.
I just went out to see a few bees flying. It is 48 deg. and some were even bringing in pollen from somewhere??? Any ideas where? I did notice one bee on the porch that had a mite on her abdomine.
I hope that does not spell doom for the hive. A rough mite count in Sept-October only yeilded 6-8 mites in 24 hrs. How long do mites live. With the brood area being smaller, will that not reduce the number of new mites? I am new, so if these questions are, well, stupid, please forgive.
Anything in bloom is fair game. Perhaps pansies or one of those other winter blooming plants. I remember one time a fellow saying that there is always something in bloom around here for the bees to get pollen from. I think it s true.
Sounds like your mite drop count was well within reason. I wouldnt be concerned at this late date anyway. What will happen will happen.
