 A box of creme fondant waiting to be separated into 4lb patties to be fed to the bees! Photo by Eric Malcolm, January 6, 2026 | Time in the Yard: 31 minutes Avg Time per Colony: 2.5 minutes Time in the Barn: 3 hours Total Colonies: 27 Avg Temp: 32.5° Total Precipitation: 0.41” |
Actions:
Fed 4lbs of fondant to colonies (12) that had bees at or near the top of the uppermost box. In the barn; cleaned top feeders and stacked to dry and met with pest control specialists for mouse control support.
Observations:
Several colonies have consumed much of their food stores. Over half of our colonies still had ample food stores but may require feeding later.
Reflections:
Checking below the inner cover during the colder season to monitor food store status and cluster location have helped to stay on top of timely feeding.
Things in bloom: Japanese Camellia, Leatherleaf Mahonia
Fed 4lbs of fondant to colonies (12) that had bees at or near the top of the uppermost box. In the barn; cleaned top feeders and stacked to dry and met with pest control specialists for mouse control support.
Observations:
Several colonies have consumed much of their food stores. Over half of our colonies still had ample food stores but may require feeding later.
Reflections:
Checking below the inner cover during the colder season to monitor food store status and cluster location have helped to stay on top of timely feeding.
Things in bloom: Japanese Camellia, Leatherleaf Mahonia