Milkweed

As a new beekeeper, there are so many things to learn about the bees!  But the learning extends beyond them - it becomes a whole habitat understanding.  You begin to add things to their environment to help them out and then have to become an expert on more things!  Milkweek is one of them!

Just plant it and walk away, right?  That's what I thought!  Then Liz called me out to take a look at what strange bug was on the milkweed:

OK - great!  We are attracting more pollinators to the yard!  Bonus.  Welcome to the monarch butterfly caterpillars!

Days later, they aren't there.  So what are their predators and how do we protect them?  Oh there are so many.  What's the safest thing to do?  Just bring them inside until they emerge a butterfly (after 3 hours to allow their wings to mature).

Then, there's something else there.  What on earth is that??

 

Say hello to Aphids.  Gross.  So again, we are trying to be pollinator friendly; therefore, pesticide are not the answer.  So our solution is:

• Crushing as many as we can.
• Spray on rubbing alcohol and quickly rinse with water.

Prior to, we are going to see if the girls next door will take on the raising of monarch butterflies.  We'll take them off even though articles say that it will not harm the caterpillars or eggs.  Better safe than sorry!

8/7/18 Hive Inspection

Update on New Hives (Brooklyn & Stark Tower)

Today we took a quick peek in on the new hives.  It appears that Stark Tower is doing well.  We still have a capped queen.

 

We added another capped queen to Brooklyn.  We weren't finding the queen cells that were there before.  So to err on the side of caution, we added a frame from Wakanda with another capped queen cell.

Added frame with capped queen cell from Wakanda to Stark Tower

  

Wakanda & Asguard

I defiantly have to say I am glad that both hives were much more calm today than they have been!  As you know, we took a frame from Wakanda that had a capped queen cell.  I'm not sure why they are trying to oust her (hopefully just because they feel full).  They are really putting on the honey, too!  We spotted our queen and she's doing a good job.

Asguard was just as calm today.  We didn't find our queen, but we did find all stages of bee (egg, larvae and capped brood).  So we are confident she is there even without seeing her.