Please forgive my straying from the topic. I just wanted to say that I reserve Friday mornings to spend with my father and Sundays to spend with my good friend (and mother-in-law). I had a wonderful day today, but I was also made aware that our "people" are all getting old. Part of me finds this...depressing? However on the other hand I realize how lucky we are to have "people" in our lives who have lived long enough to become old. I'm very grateful for this. Again my apologies for straying.
I do plan on making iddee's robbing screens...with Lazy's help...hehehe! We've decided to use the outyards as we live in an area that is made up, for the most part, of monoculture deserts. The only real forage for bees will be found in the roadside ditches, grass waterways, and the timber along streams, etc.. The furthest yard is a test for us this year. We think it'll have the most forage and most diversity of forage for the bees. It's comprised of about 500 acres of land in set aside programs, with lots of timber and all of the wild flowers associated with those areas. Our thought is that while we will feed if necessary, and put sugar blocks on for insurance over the winter, we'd rather not have to maintain feeders all summer long. I know, but that's what we'd like. We think this particular area will give us and the bees the best chance of having that happen. We think that if it's not possible there we probably shouldn't keep bees. Though, I'm sure we will! Being truthful I'll also add that seeing how many bees were in our yard this past fall with only ONE hive I can only imagine how it'd be with 5 or 6 hives! No, the bees weren't aggressive...but MAN were they inquisitive! You couldn't be in the yard without 3 or 4 bees flying around your face... always. I know I know! But that's how it is.
We do, and I should have mentioned earlier, feed in enclosed feeders. Four jar feeders in and empty box with the tele cover on top. As far as being okay as long as the flow is on? Yeah, if I could only tell. I can see when pollen comes in but nectar? Not so much. I'm hoping with more experience this will change, but until then.... That also ties into strong vs. weak hives. This past year with only two hives all I could say at any one time was that one hive was stronger than the other. Does that mean I had one strong hive and one weak hive? Or, two weak hives with one of them stronger than the other? Or, two strong hives with one of them weaker? Or...well, I'm sure you get the point.
Anyway, It sounds as though most think it would be okay to leave them on all season? By the way, I asked Lazy about this and he said I should try it and see. Good advise I'm sure, however I WAS hoping someone else had "experimented" with it and could give me a definitive answer! hehehe! Thanks Everyone, Ted
