I did a quick inspection on every hive today and all of the 11 hives are doing good. Yes, winter is not over yet but I feel like we are over the bull of it.
Late winter inspection
Good warm day to inspect and check the hives.
One of the hardest things about beekeeping is keeping the smoker on...
Yay, smoke is good!
Note worthy details
I always add a layer of insulation at the very top of the hive, above the inner cover. Sometimes I use a shallow box or a feeding shim to put it in.
Here we cna see the bees eating through some of the sugar blocks o have given them as food insurance.
When I have fondant blocks, I give those to the bees. They definitely prefer them over just sugar blocks. They eat through the fontsnt first and fast.
With the bees out of the way, after smoking them - it is easier to get a clear view of how much of the sugar is left and how much they ate.
Signs of nectar
To m surprise, I see nectar coming in already. Seems a little early but maybe not? Truth be told, I am still getting used to the weather and flow patterns in the Carolinas.