What Bee Happening in the Garden?

Wow, the bees that we purchased locally just a week ago

are sure more active than the package bees we brought home.

This was not a good situation but they worked so hard

in just a week that they started running out of room in the

hive box.  When this happens they start building what is

called Burr Comb which is comb built outside of what 

is efficient- on top of our frames in this situation.

It's not tragic, we just had to remove it and put in 

additional frames so they can build as they are supposed 

to.  If there are gaps, they will fill it themselves.

To be efficient, they need their frames so nothing is wasted.

Yeah, my suit is huge.  My veil and helmet is not really zipped 

closed in this photo.  We started unzipping since the 

suits were hot and we were outside the bee area.

Not that my hat fits well, in fact it does not; however,

it normally sits well on my head.  Of course I also 

would have my gloves on too.

This is the burr comb we found.  

We smoked the bees to get them down into the frames,

removed the burr comb (two larger pieces and a small third) and brushed

the bees off before quickly placing the frames and

the hive top.  We made sure to remove the burr comb

to a place that would not attract robber bees or predators.

Now we know how fast this new group is we will keep up.

Our side garden, mostly salad items, is doing very well.

There are two raised beds, one with a variety of lettuce

and spinach plus we started cucumbers since the lettuce

days will soon be over as the heat ramps up.  So far

we have had rain, rain and more rain.

We have some volunteer beans and tomatoes coming up too.

The tomatoes will need to be moved but the beans will

be OK growing with the cucumbers.

The large garden is not doing as well due to this,

the peppers are slow but the tomatillos seem to be 

doing a bit of growing.  I just added squash as well.

The other side garden has radish, kale, collards,

cabbage, cilantro and swiss chard.  Not shown

are the other two beds:  horseradish and potatoes.

We are adding another bed next to this and yet another

to plant the asparagus in.  

I've also added to the flowers:  

a mountain mint that is well behaved and grows in a clump,

blanket flower, milkweed, black eyed Susan and other 

Grow Native perennials.  All for the bees and butterflies of course.

We had some family and friends over yesterday so today, Monday,

was a yard work day for us.  I weed whipped, watered, pulled

weeds, worked bees and did an entire day of laundry!

I also had to cut back brush and unwind the honeysuckle 

that insists on twisting around anything it can.

I also had to empty out the old turtle sand box

(Taylor is now 11 and probably can't remember the last

time she played with it).  It filled with water and leaves

when the top blew off so I bailed out water until I 

could tip it up.  I am certain it is a breeding ground for

mosquitos, as is our poor broken garden wall pond which

we need to pull out and replace- before the frogs get 

in it next year.  I love the tadpoles and won't hurt them.

I'll get some of those discs that are OK for amphibians bu

sill the mosquito larve.

My husband was busy cutting our yard and the lot

next door plus tilling up some of the ground for

the new bed.  It's a big job and we had a great break

before the next round of rains this week.

Well, enough for today.

Maybe it will be good to go back to work so I can rest!