Guilfordbeekeepers.org

Vern Allen headed up our ongoing effort to move bees into a better location at the Cooperative Extension. While not perfect, the location provides for more sun during the day and better drainage patterns for water. The hives face south and will get out of shade as the sun rises and moves from east to west. In winter, the hardwoods providing the shade should shed leaves. The location is definitely easier to access and hopefully will lead to healthier colonies and lessen the need to buy replacement bees.

I just did another check on the bees and used the weedeater in and around the bee fence. One hive has re-queened and is building slowly, while the other has its original queen and seems to be sputtering along. Neither has built up to the point of drawing all of the frames in the deeps housing them. I plan to put a couple of gallons of 1:1 on them later today or tomorrow. They look like they can use the feed. The flow may have slowed enough to where they will take it.

That is awesome and great job guys. For the folks on this forum these hives allow GCBA to use the Extension office for our monthly meetings and Christmas parties for little to no cost. Thank you for all the hard work to get this done and help maintain them!

Both hives did poorly over winter. It was my fault. With my limited physical abilities last summer, I did not do everything I could to make sure there were good queens in the hives. I have now re-populated both hives with 2 swarms that came out of a nuc that I over wintered at the house. The first swarm was a good sized one and the queen is laying. The second swarm was about 3 medium frames of bees. I'll check on the queen and see what she is doing in this one around Thursday of this week. They may not make honey this season, but as long as they thrive and provide good pollination for the community garden and the demonstration garden, I will be satisfied.