Bees as Thermometer and Barometer

November 12th and Still They're Busy.

Two nights ago it was my beloved husband's birthday. When our guests left the house there was a crust of frost on the grass and the bin lids. The following morning clouds of breath hung in the air as we wrapped up warm to perform our damp morning chicken ablutions. Checking the hive there was absolutely no activity. Nothing. Not a single solitary bee was straying into the freezing drizzle. I couldn't blame them really. I love to be outside but after I'd mucked out the chooks I felt chilled to the bone and retired to the kitchen with a cuppa.

Yesterday evening I popped out to put the bin out for collection and it was warm. I mean it was actually warm. You could have gone out in short sleeves and it would have been fine. This morning the sun was shining, the air was clear and when I went to let the chickens out they were queuing up to shout at me for not being quicker. They set about savaging the remains of the garden an I nipped down to see the bees. 

I really couldn't believe how busy it was. Even the night I dropped the sugar feeder there weren't so many of them out. The front of the hive was covered and workers were coming and going. The pollen they were carrying was very pale almost butter coloured. I've no idea which plant they were collecting from but as long as it's still coming in the winter stores look secure.

During the winter bees, which are naturally very clean creatures, take any warmer opportunity for what is delicately known as a "Cleansing Flight" basically you don't poop on your own doorstep you take to the air, en masse, and poop on any washing line in your path. this is one of the many reasons that new bee keepers are encouraged to point the entrances to their hives away from their neighbours. Stings are relatively unusual, cleansing flights are regular and there are few worse experience for the domestically proud than finding an entire colony of bees has relieved itself on your clean bed sheets.

This I can tell you. Whatever her colony might be up to, the queen bee's washing is always immaculately clean!

Have a snug evening.

Katherine