Today was the first day in more than a month that the temperature got above 50 degrees, which meant the bees had a chance to get outside, stretch their wings a bit and -- most importantly -- poop. Or as we beekeepers put it, go potty.
Bees don't do their business while inside the hive, so they have to hold it until the weather allows them to fly around outside. That typically means temperatures above 50, but I've seen a few bees out in the mid-to-high 40s. Those must have really had to go.
I took the opportunity to do a quick check on the girls just to see how things are going inside my four hives. This time of year, the check has to be as non-invasive as possible, so as not to cost the bees the heat they've built up inside. So I lifted the lids and removed the sugar boards to take a quick peek.
I'm happy to report that all four appear to be in good shape. White and Periwinkle were hunkered down down deep where they should be while a few bees came and went. Yellow and Mighty Blue were like Grand Central Station at their entrances with comings and goings while inside they were stacked to the rafters with bees. I'm taking this as good omens for what Spring will bring.
Each hive has a cake of sugar on top as a reserve food source for when they exhaust their honey supplies, probably around March. Blue has been chewing its sugar cake pretty much since I gave it to them in December. The rest have either left theirs untouched or just now started into them.
I'll prep a few extra cakes for them this week to supplement their reserves through the end of the month. Hopefully, by that time, the flowers and trees will be blooming their heads off and the bees can start making honey.
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