Bee Communion/ Second Hive Inspection

This morning I stepped outside, ready to enjoy a long walk, when I noticed movement in the bird bath, tiny ringlets of water circling outward. It was a bee working vigorously to avoid drowning. I was faced with a choice all of humanity faces every day in more or less obvious forms: I can help or I can not help. I immediately used my hands to scoop her up in a pool of water, and hoped the landing on the grass was gentler than the splashing sound. It took me a minute or so to locate the bee once again--but there she was, climbing up a blade of grass with her wings plastered to her back. I held out my hand and she climbed on. She walked around a bit, and then stopped for an elaborate grooming ritual of head, antannae, legs, body, tongue....

Now I know this is an insect of the wild with a stinger, and in offering to be a help and safe refuge, I accept the fact that she may--for whatever reason--sting me. It's a risk I feel is worth taking. For her part, I am a human who is infinitely bigger and stronger, especially considering her vulnerable state. If I felt fear or meanness, I could squash her, and life is over. But perhaps for her too, it's worth the risk. Or in her innocence, she is unaware. However, we have both entered these moments together and experience the enchantment of silent communion, Divine Oneness. She studied my skin with great interest, and I marvelled at the complexity of her thin wings, how her tongue can seem more like a straw than the flatness of our own, the depth and shape of her eyes. Finally, her wings sprung free from her back, and though she did not fly off, I gently placed her on the dry edge of the bird bath. We each continued with our morning....

Our second hive inspection was later that day, the afternoon of May 3rd. The weather has been so unpredictable lately with lots of clouds and rain. It seems to be affecting our moods somewhat and Erin suggested we resolve ourselves to becoming more charming bee charmers!

Fortunately, it was sunny and mild. The suiting up seemed less foreign this time, and we really wanted to enjoy an unhurried visit. We began with hive 2, and Erin felt the warmer air from inside the hive escaping as soon as we took the covers off. They must really be working to keep the brood warm. We examined several of the frames in the top super and saw eggs, brood, pollen, and also capped honey. The girls have filled 6-7 of the top frames.

Erin then used the hive tool to gently pry the top super from the bottom one, and carefully lifted this super--filled with bees and all that I've mentioned--onto the ground. She looked at several of the bottom frames, and sure enough, the queen has NOT been laying any eggs in the bottom super!! So, we were able to reverse the supers--the empty one now goes on top where the queen prefers to lay eggs. During this procedure, Erin seemed particularly sensitive to the sound of the bees, the increasing crescendo of buzzing which signalled their irritation, and our need to smoke them a little more. Even when I made a mental note to listen better, it was Erin who could innately hear and percieve their mood.

We found the same situation in hive 1: the top supers were filling nicely, but the bottom was practically empty. However, we also discovered one major difference in the first hive: it seems we have an artist colony! They have gone "off-road," they have gotten completely creative with their comb building and have formed flaps with pretty swooping edges. I'm not sure how efficient it is, but why criticize? Since we didn't want to take off comb with brood, and since we could still fit the frame back in the hive, we left it alone. We don't know if it was the right choice or not. But it sure gave us a surprise, and we couldn't help but laugh.

Also, we noticed many side edges of beeswax are missing and look like they've been chewed. Chewed? And it looks like the bits have fallen on the bottom board. Do they not like the honeycomb? Is the sweet smell too strong for them?

In both hives, there was more burr comb to scrape off with the hive tool, and we hated to demolish the work--especially the one strip that looked like a line of individual troughs which were filled with water and being drunk by many bees! (see last photo where the bees are lined up in a row) We can only imagine how long it must have taken to build.

All in all, it was a very good visit and we are incredibly grateful for Ron's friend who suggested we check and see about reversing the supers. Otherwise, we would have only checked the top frames, seen them filled, and assumed more room was needed. We would have added a third super and the bees would not have been able to take proper care of the sprawled brood in the chilly spell that IS coming!