Quitter

Note: The bees have drawn out the frame that I added last week! I made a new bee veil--it is made with a courser net and bias binding to give the seams strength.

Today I was a quitter. I started my hive inspection around 1:00pm. It was cool outside, but over 60, and I thought it would be okay--lots of bees were flying and bringing in pollen. I got through two frames, and the bees began clumping up on top of the frames, and it became impossible to get my fingers in the right places to get any more out. As carefully as possible, I replaced the two frames and closed the lid. I don't know if it's too cold or if there are too many bees these days.

They are doing beautiful work though. The frame that I added last week was almost completely drawn out and full of nectar. They were in the middle of capping some of it, so it was partially opened and partially sealed--very pretty.

I am debating now about adding the second box. It seems so late in the year, and the weather is so cold. I worry about them being able to keep that big space warm enough.

I have been thinking a lot lately about doing inspections without gloves. It's so hard to maneuver in the hive with my bulky goat-skin gloves, and I might kill fewer bees with the threat of a sting when I squish one, and I would be able to better feel when a bee is in the way and in danger of being squished. But it's scary. I found a bee creeping up the inside of my pant leg today, and I almost jumped out of my skin trying to get the poor thing off of me. But at other times I manage to stay in control--the bees often land on me when I observe them, and I've learned to just breathe slowly and wait for the bee to leave, which they always do.

I think I will wait until the spring to inspect without gloves--it's probably just about time to stop inspections for the winter anyway.