Beginning

Three 3 lb packages of honeybees arrived in mid-may.  Each package contains approximately 11,000 bees.  These bees have been installed in three hives and are currently building their colonies.

For the last month the bees have developed their colonies building comb on wax foundation.  They have been feeding on sugar syrup and local flowering plants (dandelions and clover).

 

And have been busy nursing their next generation brood.  The observation hive is still in concept development and set to begin with designs and construction in July.  Until then, I’m checking the hives every few days, refilling the sugar syrup and checking the colonies health.

Additionally, the US government recently passed legislation for $8 million dollars in funding for the EPA’s creation of a task force to directly investigate and determine the causes of dwindling honeybee populations across the country.  Read about it here.