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Backyard Swammerdam: December 2011
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In which the hack theologian keeps bees. Saturday, December 17, 2011. While on retreat this summer in Minnesota, I was delighted to learn of the connection between Benedictines and bees. The abbey church. Features a wall of stained glass sectioned off into a honey comb pattern. From the outside, the window resembles a giant Lite-Brite toy. On the inside the color explodes, and it is easy to spend much of prayer time looking back at the bright liturgical colors. The honey comb pattern stands alone. My fri...
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Backyard Swammerdam: January 2011
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In which the hack theologian keeps bees. Sunday, January 30, 2011. Follow Up Inspection and Sample Collection. As per directions from Jack, our bee inspector, we took a pickle jar full of rubbing alcohol out to the area where the bees were crawling in the grass and collected around 100 bees. We'll soak them overnight, pour off the alcohol and send them to the bee lab for analysis. There seemed to be a lot of bees in the top super, ready to greet us. Response from our bee inspector. Hi, Janet, Tracheal mi...
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Backyard Swammerdam: Spring morning swarm catching
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In which the hack theologian keeps bees. Tuesday, May 7, 2013. Spring morning swarm catching. What better to do on a gorgeous spring day than to catch a low hanging swarm with your friends? Twas a smallish cluster, but neatly formed, that swarmed just after lunch yesterday. They were just starting to swarm when I had to go back to work after lunch. Found them last night, too late to do anything about it. Tonight the bees will go home with Dr. Becca to start a new life in her apiary. BCBC Blog and News.
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Backyard Swammerdam: June 2011
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In which the hack theologian keeps bees. Tuesday, June 7, 2011. Bees at the Kentucky Shaker Village. On a recent trip in May to the lovely restored Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill in Kentucky, I observed all manner of livestock: chickens, goats, cattle, horses and donkeys. It occurred to me, as a beekeeper, to wonder if there were bees about. The Shaker's version of an assistant beekeeper, on the wall behind the hives. Saturday, June 4, 2011. Who Says You Can't Go Home Again? Today's swarm spiraled happi...
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Backyard Swammerdam: March 2011
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In which the hack theologian keeps bees. Monday, March 21, 2011. It's a Wonder I Have Any Bees Alive at All. Please disregard the pictures on the post below. I do not currently have a full pound of menthol on top of my bee hive. "Sigh.". Freaked, I went out and scooped most of the menthol off the screen and then called Brushy Mountain, the supply company, to inquire. The very helpful woman explained that a 1.8 treatment would be a couple of tablespoons, and that I indeed had a pound bag. Congratulations,...
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Backyard Swammerdam: March 2012
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In which the hack theologian keeps bees. Saturday, March 31, 2012. A Bubble Off Balance. So, we're back after an incredibly mild winter and an incredibly early spring. All the dogwoods and redbuds are currently at peak, the world looks like spring time on steroids. When last we left our two hives, the one on the right had one deep and two supers, with a mason jar feeder on top surrounded by a deep box. We only fed them some of their own honey, no sugar water this year. We added an empty deep to the hive ...
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Backyard Swammerdam: November 2011
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In which the hack theologian keeps bees. Wednesday, November 30, 2011. Left to their own devices, bees do not live in wooden boxes. They swarm, looking for a nice hollow tree. When the Europeans first brought honey bees to North America, the native people would find that the "white man's flies" arrived a few miles ahead of the colonies of the white men themselves. The swarming bees arrived first, with the swarming Europeans following behind. Wednesday, November 9, 2011. I hear that fall is an excellent t...
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Backyard Swammerdam: April 2011
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In which the hack theologian keeps bees. Monday, April 25, 2011. We sorted out the two hives today. Moved them from the wagons to their permanent locations on concrete blocks. We're smarter than we used to be.put cardboard under the blocks to prevent weeds and used a bubble balance on the blocks to get them level before putting the hives there. Subscribe to: Posts (Atom). Just a Few Steps Off the Usual Path. Buncombe County Beekeepers Links. BCBC Blog and News. View my complete profile.
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Backyard Swammerdam: August 2011
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In which the hack theologian keeps bees. Saturday, August 20, 2011. Still in the Honey Business! The hive that had tracheal mites in the spring ended up thriving. Not only did we get five frames of honey from them in the spring, but today they gave us 18 frames today for a record harvest. We left them with one full super of honey. Subscribe to: Posts (Atom). Just a Few Steps Off the Usual Path. Buncombe County Beekeepers Links. BCBC Blog and News. Still in the Honey Business! View my complete profile.
