Thanks for the kind comment and the link Strumelia. Bees are such fascinating little buggers! My garden project is coming along. I have some stone terraces and beds built, some seeded already. I have my buckwheat seed ready to sow. The project will focus on honeybees, Monarchs and hummer. Many, many flowers, herbs and shrubs to go!

Shawn, we're getting a sever cold blast here which is forecast to last over the next several days at least. I hope your stand can 'buzz up' enough heat to keep from freezing. 

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The Dulcimer. If you want to preserve it, jam it!

My hive made it through, but this weekend will be a challenge.  Queen is laying heavy and we have lows forecast for upper teens.  I hope they have enough bees to cover the brood.

Great photo, Sam!

I think our bees are still about a week away from bringing in pollen of any kind yet...we have temps in the 30s this week and inches of snow predicted still!

Here's a cool website that shows pollen color charts by season:

http://eversweetapiaries.com/pollencharts.htm

I've lost 3 of my 5 hives this winter.  Sadly, that's not terribly unusual for folks these days.  It's hard for the bees (and other beneficial pollinators) to survive and stay strong.  I'm just hoping my remaining 2 hives make it through til Spring because it's a whole lot easier to recover my hive numbers starting from 2 than from 1.

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Site Owner

Those irritated by grain of sand best avoid beach.
-Strumelia proverb c.1990
updated by @strumelia: 03/10/17 10:33:56AM

OK, I'm guessing by the red nectar and the red 'hair' on this little honey bee that Dead Nettle pollen is red.

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The Dulcimer. If you want to preserve it, jam it!
updated by @sam: 01/13/19 05:09:18PM