More Trees ordered

I made a mistake this week, I spilt some sugar syrupy in the roof of the hive. This could be disastrous. It could attract other bees or wasps and mean that my bees would have to defend themselves from other insects, perhaps even birds.

I have also ordered additional trees, all fruit, apple, pear, plum and cherry.

Last week we had the grass cut, my brother did most of the work, and that should be the last cut of the year. At the same time we put about 10 kgs of flower seed and grass seed down.

Microscope Course

This week I attended a course on Bee Microscopy. I used various microscopes; dissection and compound microscopes. I used the dissection one to dissect a bee and examine it for bee illnesses like Acarine and using the same microscope I would be able to see Varroa.

Then I used a compound microscope to look at other bee illnesses like nosema. The day was a success. I found it interesting and difficult. Need more practice though.

I then looked at identifying pollen both on its own and in honey. I have been given a number of chemicals to help me further my studies on my own. I already have a basic compound microscope and am looking to get a dissection microscope. It will be useful not just for the bees but on the orchard as a whole.

Plum Crumble and Wasps

We still have lots of plums ripening at the orchard. I have collected several kilos worth and given some away and made a number of Plum crumble's which have gone down a hit with the family. I'm using a recipe by Valentine Warner. Top dish, and the crumble itself was fantastic.

One of the bee hives has had a large number of wasps trying to attack the bees to rob the honey and larvae. Wasps I have read and been taught will steal food and attack kill and eat bees, especially the babies. They can clear out a hive within days so I am keeping an eye on it, and have been stamping on wasps around the hive in the mornings. On one occasion I stamped out 8 wasps within the seconds.

Feeding bees is underway and I have bought 30 kgs of sugars and will be giving it to the bees within the next couple of days/weeks. I need to get the grass cut at the orchard and am waiting until my brother is free to give me a hand.