Flying Bees!

We are having an unusually warm day! The bees are taking the opportunity to come out and take their cleansing flights, (they hold it until a pretty day. seriously. they won’t poop in their home), and look around for any forage. I think they are just enjoying stretching their wings in the sun too :) I use the crush and strain method of extracting honey, so I just put the frames I extract from in a big bag and store in the deep freeze for these kind of days. Then I take them out and offer them to the bees as a celebratory feast!

I have to put sticks and bark for them to land on in the puddles, otherwise they just get stuck and drown! That paper is what I use in the bottom of the pan when I crush the honey capped wax. I just store it too..

This little lady jumped right into the pool of honey before I had the sticks laid out! I gently lifted her out with another stick and put her on the rock to let her clean herself off so she could fly home and tell her sisters about the bounty!

 

All cleaned up now, and filling her belly to bring some treats back to her sisters! I watched her fly back :)

This is how the hives looked all wrapped up snug for winter.

                                                     (taken in the fall)

Enjoy the day my little lovelies, my little flying alchemists, my queens of the sun! I love you soooo much!! And am so grateful for all you do! xxx

Herbal and honey hugs to all who visit Comfrey Cottages xxx