It was so good to see the bees flying in the sunshine last week, this is hopefully the sign of good days to come.
We had a workshop day of socially distanced tasks with members of the Bee Team, to prepare for the coming season.
There were lots of jobs to tackle so it was all hands on deck, 2 metres distanced of course.
In the main Bee Garden the planting and area around the bee hives was given a good tidy and trim. We like to keep on top of the work at the main viewing area, as we are looking forward to receiving visitors to observe the bees when the Botanic Garden opens up again.
Around the bank, that surrounds the teaching apiary at the science block, the winter foliage has been trimmed and removed, to allow for new growth and to let the willow thicken to give a wind break for the apiary.
Hive entrances were checked and cleared to allow the flying bees to come and go freely.
Mouse guards were removed, they have done their job now and we don’t want to restrict the entrance if bees are collecting early pollen. The mouse guard could strip the pollen baskets of their precious cargo as bees return to the hive if not removed.
The stack of honey boxes that had been cleaned previously had their cleaned runners put back on. The runners allow the smooth movement of frames within the boxes, when doing manipulations.
New equipment was unpacked and sorted and placed ready for use in the bee store.
Frames have been cleaned and stored.
Hive boxes have been treated on the outside with Danish oil to give the wood some protection from the worst of the weather.
It was so lovely to sit outside for a well-deserved lunch in the sunshine and observe the bees flying around. Best form of stress relief ever!
Lynda
Ecosystems Trainer and Beekeeper