July Report- End of the Month
August's pretty much already happened- it already feels like Fall is coming- and though it's warm during the days, it's chilly at night, and sometimes Foggy in the morning.
And leaves are falling, and the sort of light has that has that extra ounce or two in it that makes things look warmer and sleepier, is over everything, when one walks outside, it all looks like a sweet relaxing place to visit.
Which I am sure it is, although I just see it in a short window, as i work a day job 7 days a week trying to get ahead of my to-do list, and I don't really take the time to "relax" anymore. And when I'm not working, I'm working on bees. Today I mixed syrup and went up to my friend Jim's to feed my baby hives- I suppose they are actually toddlers now- or Pre-K?- smart. copperative females, young, and working for the greater good- whom I hope to make strong enough to make it through the winter. They are in various states of development (population wise), all from queens raised from scratch earlier this year.
I had to move them there as I think I was getting crazy robbing when I had them mixed with my other hives, and even though I built robber screens with the very latest features, I ended up feeling like the robber screens were pretty useless. Are they?
One interesting thing I noticed when they were being robbed is how often I saw what I think were diseased bees with CBPV rob- black, hairless, shiny, nervous bees- that land on the screen- and shoot in any hole they find. Desperate Jesse James types, knowing the clock was ticking.
I am pretty sure these were aliens-not bees that actually lived here- and in fact, I have a hive in my home apiary with this very problem (CBPV)- so I am pretty sure I know the source. I've written a number of entries on this.
What's odd- and I think I also mentioned this before- is the Abie brothers (legendary beekeeepers from the 70s) mention in one of their books how "black, hairless" bees attacked their hives and robbed them each year. They thought they were another species of bee- different than honeybees. But in fact- they might not have been- just diseased bees from someone else's hives. I would add though- that those dying bees (I read they have just a few days to live and I believe it)- are persistent- crazed even- hanging on to life and what they need to do to make it worthwhile (in this case, robbery) despite having lost all their hair, smelling bad, becoming a source of plague, and looking like bees risen from the dead, they work hard and with passion. A lesson to us all.
I am not certain what the less on is. I am thinking it is: if you work every day, only to be working, thinking you are supporting the greater good, but also feeling frantic, and you are losing (or have lost) you hair, you might consider a vacation and watch some sunsets. As the last one might be very near.
Dark, I know.
I grab them as they land an squish them between my fingers, and throw them as far as I can, hoping that their single strand RNA can't somehow make its way back to the hive in a sneaky way.
Working among the today, I felt an painful beesting on my neck- and swatted the felon- whom turned out to be an earwig-not a bee - and whom I assume bit me. No kidding. There are earwigs all over the dark parts of hives this year- a great year for them I think ( great creators of Frass, unfortunately not saleable at the local bakery) - and it turns out they give a nasty bite. I did not know this until now. I do know I did not provoke him. Or her.
I would also add- that they have wings. And fly. Not many people like to talk about them.
In summary- this end-of-July-seems-like- August report from here would be- and I said none of this above, being distracted: that the blackberry honey collected will be close to nil- which I have never seen- but my hives, knock on wood, seem happier and healthier than they have ever been. No mites, for one. But no honey!
Like most of life, its a mystery, Despite cause and effect, and the nature of Science, it seems entirely random to me. I have a theory or two. Unfortunately, due to the Heisenburg Principle, I will continue to not-know, as it is untestable, and I will go to my grave, wondering about 500 things I could make no sense of while I lived, and this was just one of them. I haven't harvested, but it looks dismal for blackberry. 20 gallons? I'm not sure.
And leaves are falling, and the sort of light has that has that extra ounce or two in it that makes things look warmer and sleepier, is over everything, when one walks outside, it all looks like a sweet relaxing place to visit.
Which I am sure it is, although I just see it in a short window, as i work a day job 7 days a week trying to get ahead of my to-do list, and I don't really take the time to "relax" anymore. And when I'm not working, I'm working on bees. Today I mixed syrup and went up to my friend Jim's to feed my baby hives- I suppose they are actually toddlers now- or Pre-K?- smart. copperative females, young, and working for the greater good- whom I hope to make strong enough to make it through the winter. They are in various states of development (population wise), all from queens raised from scratch earlier this year.
I had to move them there as I think I was getting crazy robbing when I had them mixed with my other hives, and even though I built robber screens with the very latest features, I ended up feeling like the robber screens were pretty useless. Are they?
One interesting thing I noticed when they were being robbed is how often I saw what I think were diseased bees with CBPV rob- black, hairless, shiny, nervous bees- that land on the screen- and shoot in any hole they find. Desperate Jesse James types, knowing the clock was ticking.
I am pretty sure these were aliens-not bees that actually lived here- and in fact, I have a hive in my home apiary with this very problem (CBPV)- so I am pretty sure I know the source. I've written a number of entries on this.
What's odd- and I think I also mentioned this before- is the Abie brothers (legendary beekeeepers from the 70s) mention in one of their books how "black, hairless" bees attacked their hives and robbed them each year. They thought they were another species of bee- different than honeybees. But in fact- they might not have been- just diseased bees from someone else's hives. I would add though- that those dying bees (I read they have just a few days to live and I believe it)- are persistent- crazed even- hanging on to life and what they need to do to make it worthwhile (in this case, robbery) despite having lost all their hair, smelling bad, becoming a source of plague, and looking like bees risen from the dead, they work hard and with passion. A lesson to us all.
I am not certain what the less on is. I am thinking it is: if you work every day, only to be working, thinking you are supporting the greater good, but also feeling frantic, and you are losing (or have lost) you hair, you might consider a vacation and watch some sunsets. As the last one might be very near.
Dark, I know.
I grab them as they land an squish them between my fingers, and throw them as far as I can, hoping that their single strand RNA can't somehow make its way back to the hive in a sneaky way.
Working among the today, I felt an painful beesting on my neck- and swatted the felon- whom turned out to be an earwig-not a bee - and whom I assume bit me. No kidding. There are earwigs all over the dark parts of hives this year- a great year for them I think ( great creators of Frass, unfortunately not saleable at the local bakery) - and it turns out they give a nasty bite. I did not know this until now. I do know I did not provoke him. Or her.
I would also add- that they have wings. And fly. Not many people like to talk about them.
In summary- this end-of-July-seems-like- August report from here would be- and I said none of this above, being distracted: that the blackberry honey collected will be close to nil- which I have never seen- but my hives, knock on wood, seem happier and healthier than they have ever been. No mites, for one. But no honey!
Like most of life, its a mystery, Despite cause and effect, and the nature of Science, it seems entirely random to me. I have a theory or two. Unfortunately, due to the Heisenburg Principle, I will continue to not-know, as it is untestable, and I will go to my grave, wondering about 500 things I could make no sense of while I lived, and this was just one of them. I haven't harvested, but it looks dismal for blackberry. 20 gallons? I'm not sure.
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