Winter

Just a little remark, there isn't much happening in the beehive right now. Due to the danger of robbery we attached mouse grids on the hives.
Since the winter this year is quite mild, there are still many days when the bees are out flying.
Especially the dark bees are very active. We were worrying because we found many dead bees in front of the hive. Our dark bee expert reassured us, though. This is due to the fact that they are still out with lower temperatures, more than the carnica bees. So they throw out the dead bees of the flight hole in order to make room. He also gave us the advice to take a small stick and push the dead bees out of the flight hole ourselves if they won't do it.

Here some pictures from this winter:

Checkup in fall

The sugar-water-mix has been replaced by Apiinvert in fall. The bees should have lots of food once more in order to pass the winter well. As soon as it is cold enought, they won't fly out any more and eat - on the contrary eating then could even cause diarrhea.
Since we didn't have any other information from our association and were a little bit insecure, we called the bee expert again. He had a look at everything and gave as valuable advice.
For winter we bought styrofoam in the diy store and also new foil. Then styrofoam and foil were cut, the styrofoam a little bit shorter than the beehive (lengthwise about 2-4 inches). So the air can circulate in the beehive. The foil is placed above, then the styrofoam, then the foil is turned over.
So the bees are protected from too much humidity. On the other hand they can still drink from the water on the foil when the ponds are frozen.
The real danger for the bees isn't the cold but the humidity.
Actually we just talked to a colleague from the association who got her colony together with us. Her girls nearly drowned. How could that happen, you will ask. - The beehives are made for staying outside...
Here are some pics from our preparations for winter:

Waben mit Honig

Micro climate - 2

Apart from many butterflies and dragonflies there are quite a lot of wasps, too. They are attracted by the bees and their food. They would like to steal some of it but are fought vigorously by the bees. Usually it is always a one to one combat.

A hornet fell down from above on the glass table outside. Maybe it had been attacked by our bees. Now we hope that there isn't a nest in the garden, that wouldn't be so great.

Here a wasp and her relative, the hornet. Nice face, though!

Even two doves have decided to live in one of our trees. 

Nutrition and guard bees

The sugared water which we had poured in small containers before is now in special nutrition containers. That means we don't have to replace or change it so often. However you mustn't put too much because it might ferment if it is exposed too much time to the heat. The nutrition containers don't only have advantages, many bees (and wasps) paid with their lives.

Maybe it will work better with the help of small "wooden bridges", we'll see.

The Apifonda is eaten by the girls as well, but doesn't seem to be really necessary, maybe more advisable if you are off for a longer time and can not fill up the sugar water. We already have talked to different people with more knowledge than us and nobody of them uses Apifonda. They also don't have any interest in selling it to us. Well, when you start something you also have to learn to your cost and economic interest is everywhere.

One basic question we have been putting ourselves is the one if you really need to feed the bees in this extensive manner. Wild bees in former times didn't have any sugar dough and made honey nonetheless. Of course outcome of honey will be less but surely of higher quality. A cow which eats in the pasture and moves outside also provides better meat than the one closed inside and fed with feed pellets.
Here are some pictures of the open hive, everybody working.

 

Das Flugloch haben wir inzwischen vergrößert. Gestern abend haben wir gesehen, dass nicht mehr nur eine sondern viele Wächterbienen über das Wohl des Stockes wachen und vor Eindringlingen schützen:
The entrance hole has been extended. Yesterday we saw that not just one but many guardian bees are watching over the hive and protecting it from intruders.

Controlling the development

:
Our bee expert passed and had a look at our bees. He was quite content. The bees have built really well.

The queen has set her eggs well all over the section. Then we had a look at the newly laid eggs. He also explained that it isn't important to see the queen, you don't have to worry as long as you see freshly laid eggs. That means that she is around somewhere, otherwise they wouldn't be there.

Bee close shot

Bee with pollen

Bee with much pollen

On the left you see the newly born bee which is coming out

Once more close-up, nice face!

Micro climate

Since we have the bee colonies, we also have much more bumble bees, dragon flies, wasps and butterflies in our garden. We see many white butterflies, now we als had the chance to photograph a peacock butterfly.

 

Our pond is visited by dragon flies, very difficult to take pictures of when they are flying but when they rest, we have the chance to take a shot.