News from two doctors.

I heard from Dr. Drone that some interloper wild bees took over the hive this fall. I haven't been out to see them (on account of baby) but we've had such a mild winter, I'm confident they're doing okay. I've written "GO TAKE PICTURES AT BEE YARD" on a note in large, marker letters. Once i find that note again in a few months, I'm sure that will happen.

Pictures or no, I'm excited to imagine actual honey this year. I've been eating a lot of oatmeal with honey and almonds this winter and I've convinced myself that eating my own honey that I steal from bees with my own hands and put into a container that doesn't look like a bear will be the most delicious thing ever.

In a related story, I was discussing baby food allergies with our pediatrician and she mentioned that kids aren't actually allergic to honey, and that the recommendation to avoid it in infants is due to several botulism outbreaks from a few years ago. I'm nodding my head, like, yes, we don't like botulism, yes! And she adds, "so unless you're planning to feed her honey processed out of someone's backyard, it should be fine."

And then I'm nodding my head, like, yes, I am planning to feed her honey processed out of someone's backyard!... but maybe not until I've eaten a significant quantity myself? What is the social etiquette for telling your pediatrician you plan to feed vaguely questionable items to your child? Or is this a need to know basis?

Titans of Industry

Returned to the apiary to check on the proletariat. They are hard at work cleaning out the supers we left them, the first being nearly half remodeled with tons of honey being stored, and the top one still largely untouched. It may have been a bit optimistic on my part that they would have a chance to get to all 20 frames in my absence, but I'm told there will still be another big pollen push in a few weeks as the ragweed and other flowers open wide for fall allergy season.

My thoughts on status so far- there are a LOT more bees than when we started, and those supers are getting heavy. No stings since the fateful Bad Hair day.

Honey Prospects

New, empty comb

So our hive is growing, although we missed the first big clover nectar run. Our bees will have about a month and a half to pretty up the supers, get the comb fixed up before the early fall nectar run of ragweed. The workers will collect the nectar, mix it with spit, and shove it into cells of the comb with an airtight seal to ripen into honey. I'm hoping we'll get a few jars for our labor, but since we plan on leaving them the honey they've already stored in the deeps, there may not be a huge harvest for the humans this fall.

This is fine with me- We're not really in it for the honey this year, I just wanted to get the hive established and see how it all works. So far, on that front, I declare this project successful at the 4 month mark. Still, just a little bit to put in my tea this winter would be really gratifying...