More feed for the Valentinium

The weather was gorgeous these last three days, and the bees are busy. The marigolds have been covered with bees, and I see lots of pollen going into the hives. The carnations are also in bloom, along with lots of small-flowered weeds which I do not recognize.

Today, I finally got around to putting six pints of 2:1 sugar syrup into the Valentinium. The Valentinians seemed a happy lot and came out to greet me in numbers. I retreated and put on a veil and tried again, this time successfully. I hope they drink more of it this time.

Since putting in the sugar syrup a few weeks back, I have noticed far fewer bees in our water buckets.

Last thymol treatment, and more feed.

Today I put the last thymol package in, splitting it between the two hives, just like the previous two treatments. I also put in another 6 pints of 2:1 sugar:water solution into the Benedictium. I took the old syrup out of the hives. There was still plenty left in the feeder bucket in the Valentinium, the Benedictium's was almost empty.

I'll give the Valentinium a fresh bucket tomorrow, weather permitting.

Feeding time

I checked the sugar water in the Valentinium, and there was plenty left. In the Benedictium, on the other hand, the bucket was empty, so I replaced it with another six pounds of 2:1 sugar:water.

There are many more bees in the Benedictium than in the Valentinium.

Entrance reducer

I took off the mouse guards this afternoon and removed the duct tape from them, which took quite a bit of Goo-Gone. Tonight I replaced them, since we'll be getting down to the forties.

The bees seem happy, but the population of the Valentinium seem very low.

More thymol

We placed another dose of thymol in each of the hives tonight.

The robbing seems to have stopped.

I put a feed bucket into each hive, four pounds of sugar and two pints of water in each bucket. I flipped the inner covers over to discourage robbing.