Before the past months disappear entirely in the mists of nursing dementia and/or being busy, I'll try to post at least a few things. Not at the length they deserve (probably) but hey, better than nothing, right ( Read more... )

I resisted the urge to check on the fledgling colony... until today. (My excuse was that after one week, I would be able to see whether they were trying to breed a new queen; and if they weren't, I still had time to give them some new brood from the donor colony.)

( Bee talk and pictures under the cut; if you don't like stinging insects, you may give this one a berth )

* After our warm and dry April, we've spent the last week firmly in the grip of the Ice Saints. (My neighbour says that it can't be the Ice Saints because this year, everything is four weeks ahead of its time, but the cold spell ended on May 15th - the day of St. Sophia, who is counted as the "final" Ice Saint - so I think it was the Ice Saints ( Read more... )

Today saw my first (and thus, only) honey harvest of the year - and because it was the only one, I went for it even though the super was only half full ( Read more... )

On a happier note, even though it was a long winter, bad spring and weird summer, my bees appear to be thriving. I have two colonies again, one fully-fledged one (grown from the swarm I got last year) and one fledgling one ( Read more... )

*reappears from garden, wipes humus off hands, gets mulch out of hair ( Read more... )

but the days are so packed and I don't know where to start.

Ok. Most recent things first.

Newbees!(Why do bees offer themselves for such an incredible amount of lousy puns in the English language? Whatever, ALL THE PUNS ( Read more... )

I officially declare it Spring. With a capital S ( Read more... )

"15.07. Seminar Spätsommerpflege: Neueste Trends mit Ameisensäure."

Hey, ich weiß, dass es sich dabei um ein Imkerseminar handelt, bei dem (vermutlich) die neuesten Methoden der Varroabekämpfung mit Hilfe von CH2O2 erläutert werden ( Read more... )

This night, Felix slept almost six hours in one piece. I'm almost rested ( Read more... )