SWARM

SWARM Sanctuary for Western Apis Research of Musquodoboit Harbour

08/08/2021

It's "bee-n" a while since I've posted, but the hive is in full swing. Stay tuned for a better update, and hopefully a hive inspection (if the rain holds off today)!

Today I'll be adding the first honey super to the beehive
05/23/2021

Today I'll be adding the first honey super to the beehive

05/20/2021

In honor of here are two buzzies being buzziful ❤️

05/15/2021

The weather is fine and the hive is happening. Lots of activity today!

05/13/2021

Just a little forager catching a break on my hand--needed a minute to straighten out the fuzz

We had a wee bee incident. It has been raining and there are some water drops on top of the hive. This little buzzy land...
05/11/2021

We had a wee bee incident. It has been raining and there are some water drops on top of the hive. This little buzzy landed herself in it and got wet. Bees don't typically do well when they get wet, but we launched a small rescue to pull her out of the water and get her back on her feet, and after a little drying time, she flew back into the hive. Likely needs to go fix her fuzz-style now.

Go on ahead, we're right bee-hind you...
05/11/2021

Go on ahead, we're right bee-hind you...

Moving time! Here's how you get the bees out of their nuc box and into their hive - manually! You take the frames out on...
05/09/2021

Moving time! Here's how you get the bees out of their nuc box and into their hive - manually! You take the frames out one at a time (carefully, making sure you keep the queen safe, trying not to squish any bees, and trying not to anger the stingees) and add them to the brood box, along with a couple frames of foundation and the feeder.

And there we are! All moved in!

Not shown: the telescoping top that keeps the hive safe and dry.

All set! Let's get these buzzies into their new home!
05/09/2021

All set! Let's get these buzzies into their new home!

Last on the necessary items list: firing up the smoker! This one is a German design, made of German steel. It has a remo...
05/09/2021

Last on the necessary items list: firing up the smoker! This one is a German design, made of German steel. It has a removable inner compartment to make it easier to clean out any debris. You use paper and grass clippings, and I'm trying out these coffee based pellets, to create a nice bee-safe smoke.

A common misconception is that the smoke makes the bees sleepy. It actually stimulates them to go inside the hive and eat honey, and eating honey makes them happy (as it does for most humans), providing much calmer bees - and a calmer and happier beekeeper, too!

Many thanks to for their super informative course!

Did you ever wonder how colonies make it through the spring when the flowers are just starting to bloom? Things like h...
05/09/2021

Did you ever wonder how colonies make it through the spring when the flowers are just starting to bloom? Things like help give honeybees access to early blooming flowers like dandelions, but most beekeepers need to give their little buzzies an extra bit of food in the spring and fall when the flowers are sparse. This is an in-hive feeder. It takes the place of a frame inside the hive, and you fill it with syrup - a 1:1 mixture of white sugar and water (switch to 2:1 sugar/water in the fall when the bees need less moisture in the hive). The cover and elastic bands keep the bees from falling into the syrup and drowning, and the ladders give them access to forage the syrup safely.

These frames are for the deep honey super I will need to add to my hive next week to give the bees room to build comb fo...
05/09/2021

These frames are for the deep honey super I will need to add to my hive next week to give the bees room to build comb for all their honey. Unlike the Dadant frames, these don't require any voltage to assemble. Just click the plastic foundation into the frame. You just need to remember to take the bottom two corners off of each. This gives the bees the ability to move to the other side of the frames more easily as they work away.

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Musquodoboit Harbour, NS

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