Just went up to check on my two remaining hives. Both, I am happy to say, are still kicking, with plenty of food stores left for now. I’ll probably need to give them a feeding boost in March, but if this mild weather continues, we’re likely to have an early bloom that the bees can take advantage of. Lots of early blooming Norwegian Maple around here and I often see the bees bringing bright red pollen in around late March which I haven’t been able to ID yet. I need to get one of these!
Anyway, my one colony is approaching it’s 4th season here in Brooklyn! Never a chemical in that hive, culled about 75 percent of all of the foundation and it’s still kicking. I’m proud as hell of those bees. I hope they continue to thrive either in NJ at Seven Arrows or at Brooklyn Navy Yard. I still haven’t decided where I’m going to put them down, but I’m sure wherever they go they will be of real benefit to the gene pool there.
The second colony was a first year package that seems to have taken well to being on a rooftop. Mild mannered, productive. Low mite counts throughout the season. Also no treatment and foundationless. Some promising bees, for sure! Can’t wait to see how they do in the Spring!
Man, moving these things sure is going to suck.
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