Getting a Drink

Some of the honey bees in my garden getting a drink out of a bird bath. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Getting a Drink

We had a couple of days early February 2020 with temperatures in the 70s. Record warm temperatures for mid-Missouri that time of year, and only a couple of days before another winter storm was forecasted.

As I walked through my limestone hillside garden, I enjoyed watching my honey bees doing what they normally do during a warm week, which included taking a drink. All of the bird baths I have scattered close to their hives were busy. Most still had water, and the ones that didn’t were quickly refreshed. As I filled up the bird baths, it reminded me of the set of the Days of the Week kitchen towels featuring bees. I couldn’t remember if one of the days featuring water carrying.

Honey bees need water close by. They use water to mix with pollen to make bee bread among other things. Seeing the water carriers lapping up the moisture confirmed that they may be making bee bread for to feed baby bees, or brood.

And yes, the water is not “clean.” Dr. Dale Hill confirmed at a conference a couple of years ago that honey bees prefer aged water. That’s where they pick up minerals that they need to stay healthy.

This particular bird bath has leaves and small sticks for safe landing spots. I also place rocks in the center of the bird bath to give them a safe landing spot.

Bird baths are usually available at most home and garden centers. The concrete ones tend to stay in place on my Missouri hillside a little better than the plastic ones although both can be susceptible to the ground heaving and thawing. One of my early spring jobs is to make sure they are all level and, if not, get them back to that condition.

But I confess, I wait for the bees to get their drinks first.

Charlotte

Wind Blown Colony

Wind gusts of 60 mph one night knocked over one of my tied down bee hives. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Wind Blown Colony

By this time of year, some beekeepers are missing time with their bees, myself included. In mid-Missouri USA, honey bees are tucked into their honey-filled hives, wrapped with insulation to help keep them warm from winter winds. They are not supposed to require any work now but I daily check them to make sure they are snug and undisturbed. If temperatures are 50F or warmer, I will find them out and about looking for something to do. I know inside the hive they are consuming higher amounts of honey to be able to fly.

This year I left extra honey on the top of the hives. The forecast is for higher than average precipitation this winter so having extra honey stores should keep them fed through winter storms without my having to supplement feed them.

This particular day, the forecast was for strong winds so I headed out to my apiary to double-check straps holding the hives down, anchored by cement blocks. I also ensured the hive entrance was closed to the smallest size and double-checked that hive lids were on securely. It does cross my mind that I wish I could move them to a safe spot like my garage, or living room. It’s not that far fetched, some beekeepers in colder states use potato storage silos to keep their bees.

By late evening, the wind was howling and a tornado watch had been issued for where I live. I didn’t sleep well, neither did my cats. Several times the wind was blowing so hard it sounded like a train, the usual description given for a tornado. I headed down to the basement, just in case. So did the cats. I had their favorite blanket.

By morning it was time to check the damage. Downed limbs, missing deck chairs, several garden arbors were bent over and two very cranky cats were settling in for naps.

First signs of storm damage, my bent garden arbors. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

And one of my bee hives had toppled over, the hive boxes upside down on the hillside.

Good thing I had changed into work clothes because a bee suit over pajamas is not a good look. I was the bee suit and at the hive in nothing flat. It was below 40F so the bees were not able to fly even if they made it.

I removed the first box. It was the larger bottom box, empty. Not unexpected this time of year, the bees move up the hive as winter progresses.

The second box was also empty.

As I carefully moved the third box, there was sign of life.

First signs of life, bees in the third box from the bottom. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

These boxes are all upside down so now I needed to careful turn the box right side up and move the movable frames without squishing bees. I took the remaining medium super and carefully moved frames, and bees, into it.

Two more boxes, the ones on top, where not only full of honey but bees as well. I did the same thing, carefully moving the frames into one of the empty boxes and giving the bees a ride back into their home.

A few bees were on the ground. After checking that the queen bee wasn’t there, I moved some empty frames over them so they could easily climb on and get back into the hive.

It didn’t take long. With a little re-arranging, the bees were back in the hive, the hive was strapped back down and wrapped for winter against further winds.

Rebuilt and insulated hive containing the surviving colony. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I removed the two bottom empty boxes to make the hive more stable in wind.

We tell beginning beekeepers to stay out of their hives through winter. Bees seal up their hives with propolis, a glue-like substance made from tree sap. They don’t have time to re-seal hives mid winter so the insulation will be good to have since the wind knocked the hive boxes over breaking the propolis seals.

I worked fast getting them back into their hives but have to confess, it was nice to be working with them again.

As I headed back inside for a warm cup of tea, it crossed my mind that if I’m missing them already, this could be a very long winter for me without my bees.

Charlotte