The rain is very near again, I haven’t much time. Another storm approaches. I take off the last remaining top feeder as quickly and gently as I can and put on the inner cover. Protected again, I take a minute to look through the clear plastic inner cover and watch the many bees milling around on the top of the hive frames. Bees who completely ignore me. The last time I went near this hive to turn around the feeder, which I had originally turned the wrong way (oops), the bees were quick to fly out and sting me. This is now an angelic hive, no smoker is needed, no bee suit either, but I don’t take that chance.
I put on the hive roof and strap down the hive. I looked at the entrances of the other hives, not a single bee to be seen. I resist the urge to lift off the roof of another hive to have a look at them, there is no point letting cold in just so that I can satisfy my curiosity. They are set up for the winter. There is nothing more for me to do now.
Bees like to live about 15ft off the ground, proof of which is this tree which honeybees have occupied and are surviving very well without my help.
Beekeeping on stilts does not appeal to me but at least my hives are all on elevated places. Like here…There be dragons. Some even have spectacular views from their hive entrance, not that I think they care.
Hmmm….Funny thing is that I’ve no photos of the spectacular views, just of the beehives.
The hives are strapped down and the bees snug, cosy and clustering. The mild weather, despite the rain, causes more bees than I’d like to wander out and try to forage. There must be a wild hive somewhere near my house because even during the rain, a few bees fly around exploring my shed with it’s smell of bee paraphernalia. I don’t keep bees in my back garden [here’s why] but I can’t stop them visiting me!
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