Apitherapy

"Today is a day of thanksgiving to the bees." said Dr. Amber Rose as we sat gathered in her sunny living room high on a mountain in the Catskills above Woodstock. We were there to learn about "injecting" bee venom (placing a bee against the skin so the stinger and venom sac are left) into acupuncture points to stimulate immune response and healing. Being the bee lovers that we all are, we were concerned about "sacrificing" bees but decided that as it was done with respect and for the healing of the human condition that it was ok. The bees, as you know, die after losing their stinger. Dr. Rose is a licensed acupuncturist who studied apitherapy with the master, Charles Mraz, and has traveled to China where apitherapy has been practiced for thousands of years. It was a lovely afternoon of magical bee medicine. As Dr. Rose said, bees are the "ruby red slippers that help you find your way home". I believe that to be true. Thank you, bees.

Saying goodbye

The bees are less and less visible now. They are going within. Good reminder for me to be in the flow; slow down, rest, explore my interior world and plan for the spring. Bought 4 more bales of straw today and finished the wind block around the Greeting Garden hive. They are the Georgia bees and I don't think they are sure about this Catskill Mountains cold, but they are as protected as they can be. Put an entrance reducer on the Barn Garden hive and noticed that they had propolized the vent except for a tiny little bee sized hole. (3/8", I'm sure) They are still feeding heavily. The mountain bees from the Woodstock hive are pretty nonchalant and were feeding in the "western vestibule" (empty end of the tbh), enjoying the afternoon sun. I miss seeing them and think about them gathering into their winter cluster, shuddering their little wings to stay warm. I can't imagine life without them.....

November feeding, cont

Friday the 13th, another warm November day....filled the feeder jars to the top with Montgomery Place honey, probably for the last time. I hope this late season feeding gives them a boost as foraging was impacted this year by all the rain. Feeding with honey is more expensive than "bee tea" but is probably better for their gut than the cane sugar solution. (Montgomery Place uses mite treatment though, which I do not, and I had to weigh that risk/benefit ratio...but it's only for this year.) My friend, Kim, was with me and that extra pair of hands was appreciated. Put a straw bale up against the north side of the Woodstock hive and covered it with a tarp and snugged straw on the east and north sides of the hive stand on the Greeting Garden hive to block that crazy Vly Valley winter wind. (it's the nor'easters that seem to bring a lot of snow) I will get more straw next week to finish the process; I've been doing staggered winterizing based on the weather. I am still debating the "wrap or not wrap the hives" question but think I will, leaving the southern facing exposures open. All of my hives get good sun and bees are all about the sun! I know that ventilation is important to prevent dampness from condensation inside the hive. Only spring will tell if my actions were the right ones. So many little bee lives at stake...... I am praying to the bee gods/goddess that they have the strength to make it. Amen.

Spilled honey

Cloudless blue skies and 68 degree weather, a perfect day for feeding bees! They went wild when I uncapped the honey jar I brought with me from Montgomery Place in Tivoli. Some just dove head-first into the jar before I could recap it after filling the feeding jars. I fished them out with a stick and placed them gently on the hive. Much to my delight, I watched their sister bees come and loving clean them up so they could fly again! Lesson learned; probably better when working with honey for feeding to do it early (or late) in the day before they're out and about as the smell of it sends them into a frenzy when they're hungry. I filled all three hive feeders and watched the Bacchanal. They devoured what was left on the inside of the lid, the inside of the quart jar and any spills. This coming week will be more winterizing which I have been doing in a staggered manner depending on the weather. I didn't want to do it too early and have them overheated. I spent all afternoon watching their activity which is never boring. My little friends....

October feeding

Replaced my emptied "bee tea" jars today; sugar, water, dandelion root, camomile, thyme and a speck of eucalyptus. The barn hive had bees up in the feeder, the Woodstock hive was quiet and the Greeting Garden hive was quiet also but when I lifted the cover I was glad to see 5 drawn combs of honey. They live in the top of that hive so I wonder if they will move down to feed during the winter... I haven't been "inspecting" the hives since it got cold; it would be like someone leaving the door open on a cold day at home. Bought a bale of hay and will insulate next week by placing newspaper and hay in the top of an empty super over the hive to wick condensation moisture out of the hive (hopefully). Also need to mouse proof with #8 wire. (which is well traveled in the back of my car; sometimes I'm lazy but I need to beat the mice who seek warmth inside the hive) Bought 3 quarts of honey at Montgomery Place for feeding. It got cold all of a sudden with some spotty snow yesterday, but today was near 50* with brief sun this afternoon. The bees seem to be "hunkering down". This has been a very stumbly start to my bee keeping as Aunt Margaret passed just when I was starting, which kind of got me off balance. I hope that they make it through the winter and I will readjust things next spring. I hope I am supporting them and doing the "right" thing. This is all so new. Bless the bees.

Farewell to the Drones

It was September 6th when I first noticed the drones being forced from the hives; some of them just pushed out, some at the entrance with workers on their backs pecking at them, others in tussles with (much smaller) workers, rolling off the landing onto the ground like scrapping teenagers. I sat mesmorized by this ritual which I had only read about until now; part brutal, part beautiful, all fascinating. (the male drones must be fed by the female workers so get "kicked out" each autumn to conserve food stores for the winter) "How can she sit and stare at that hive for so long?", I'm sure my neighbors think. Yesterday I went to "feed" them as everyone else had already been feeding the sweet concoction of sugar water and herbs for weeks. I was lead to include eucalyptus in the batch and later read that menthol is good to treat tracheal mites....Thank You, Universe. The colonies are much smaller now with the drones pretty much gone and the "summer bees" dying off. The Woodstock hive (a top bar hive from Sam Comfort) had a few ants wandering on the top and when I opened the end the last bar had a small virgin yellow comb drawn which was empty. I did not disturb the rest of the hive as they had propolized the bars for winter. I left them their tea in the empty end, covered by a roof of unused top bars. When I left for the day they were buzzing with delight. I hope that they like it! The 1st hive, now the "Greeting Garden Hive" as it is in the middle of the circle garden made from my new driveway seems to be OK. There was no where to feed the bees except place the feeder inside the hive, which is what I did. The "Barn Hive", my only Langstroth hive, seems to have the most robust colony. I slid the feeder into the entrance, no fuss, no muss. I'm experimenting with different styles of hives and, so far, I do like the primitive beauty of the top bar hive. I'll go back in 5 days to check them and mouse proof the hives. (which should have already been done...) I've been a little slow this year. It's been a year of big changes for both the bees and me and the bees have become my "family", of sorts. My human family moved to Texas, my Aunt Margaret died and now I am possibly going to lose my job for refusing the H1N1 flu vaccine. Well, if the bees could make it after losing their mother hive by being shaken into a box which ended up in my yard, I guess I can make it, too.

Learning...

The bees seem to orient themselves with the comb running north/south. With hive #1, a top bar hive which I oriented with the bars running east/west (out of convenience and ignorance) the bees chose to draw the comb across the bars (not on) in a north/south orientation. Hmmmm.........Then I spoke to my bee keeping friend Skye who had made the same observation and had concluded it was a magnetic orientation, possibly. So, next spring I will be moving that hive. I don't want to disturb them now as they started the hive from scratch and it may be too disorienting this close to cool weather. Being with the bees is a continual learning process.....and, thankfully, they are forgiving.

Woodstock (counter culture) hive

August 13: Picked up my "Woodstock Hive" (3rd hive, Kirk Webster bees) from Sam at the Germantown CSA. So named to commemorate where I was 40 years ago. I will surround this hive, as I do with all of my hives, with Peace, Love and Flowers. These bees are very gentle and sweet and feel much different from the southern and Pa bees. It will be interesting to see if each hive keeps their distinct personality or whether they all will evolve into "Vly Bee" temperment based on their new geographic location. I added 2 top bars as the Japanese knotweed is starting to bloom and I know how fast they can fill a bar. Foraging is plentiful in Schoharie County.......Blessed bee.

new bees

Just spoke with Sam Comfort who is releasing a few hives and I was lucky enough to get one! (All of Sam's hives are top bar hives.) I'm on my way to the Vly to prepare their new home. I am so happy! Also received my new book "At the Hive Entrance" which is fascinating. Bee year #1 in progress........Thank You God, Universe, Goddess.....

magic...

The bees called to me last summer and I answered them. Now I find that my life and hive "management" are in sync. Be free. Be happy. Cull what doesn't work to gain strength. When all is flowing right then there is strength, disease resistance, joy, productivity and spiritual connection. They are teaching me and I am listening. That is what I aim to share with you...

thinking....

Just got back from a really wonderful "Treatment Free" Beekeeping Conference in MA. Less is more beekeeping. Cull out what doesn't work. Be gentle. Let them do what they know how to do and support them in that. Sit back and watch.