Andrea's Bees: Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving flowers from the garden

Sorry it's been so long since the last blog. Not only has it been extremely busy at work but the bee news has been fairly challenging lately.

The last time I wrote I had 4 hives going...Queen Elizabeth I and Hippolyta, the original hives and Nefertiti and Queen Latifah, the swarms I had captured. By late summer it became fairly clear that QE and Hippolyta were weakening so I decided to amalgamate the two of them in an attempt to create a stronger single hive. Over the course of the next few weeks I watched both the amalgamation and Nefertiti begin to dwindle. They both had a serious mite infestation and were having difficulty fighting them. One day I came back to the bee yard and I noticed a lot of activity at Nefertiti's entrance. It made me happy to see this until I realized that the activity was wasps not bees. Many, many wasps flying in and out of the hive!

Wasps taking over Nefetiti

I tried to make the opening smaller with wood and grass but it didn't make any difference. There were no guard bees to stop the wasps so they had free access. Wasps are opportunists so they were just taking advantage of a great situation. Free honey and yummy bees to eat. It chilled my heart. I decided to go into the hive to see what I could do.

It was a very empty hive. In the very bottom box was a small cluster of bees around the queen. So sad. I knew it was over for the hive. Not only would they not be able to fight the wasps, they also could never get through the coming winter alive. My first hive loss.

Nefertiti with the last of her hive.

Shouldn't be difficult to find her Majesty...she is very close to the top of the frame towards the right. The last of her retinue.

What I did next!

I cannot tell a lie...I went after the wasps! Even though I know that they are part of the cycle and I am not, I couldn't help myself. I am after all, a human and we humans interfere...it is our nature. I don't think I made a dent in the wasp population but I felt very good. Given what happened to my next hive, I have no regrets. A few days later, the same sad story happened to the amalgamated hive. Wasps had taken over and I found an empty hive with the poor queen all alone and wondering where her workers had gone.

This summer was a perfect storm for my bees. A mild winter which allowed for bumper wasp populations making it through. Swarming leaving me with weak hives. Drought. Mite infestations in the hives. A beekeeper who doesn't treat for mites with chemicals. It all came together to cause weak hives.

So I am down to one hive, Queen Latifah.

Lonely hive in bee yard

Queen Latifah is looking healthy though she definitely has a mite infestation. She has honey stores and the last time I looked she had brood and lots of workers. I squished wasps until there were only a couple buzzing around. QL has guards taking care of the rest of them. I have gotten her ready for winter and will hope that all will be well until spring. If she stays strong then there is a chance that this hive has some resistance to the mites. If that is the case then I might be able to split her in the spring to build up the bee yard again. Wish the girls good luck.

Today was a beautiful Thanksgiving Monday and I noticed the bees were on the flowers in my garden...thyme, basil, dahlias and sunflowers and they gave me hope for the future of the bees.

I will leave you with some pictures of fall in my garden.