Another warm day 2-6-2011

Well based on the 15 day forcast we should be looking at consistant upper 40's to mid 50's most of next week ect. This means the hives will start picking up rear more brood, the cluster will break longer, maples may start blooming with the warm weather. All indications lend to the NEW bee year has started!!!!

However, this also means more nutritional needs from the colony to raise and feed brood, so starving is a big issue in my book from this point forward as they increase the hive's population. So keep the feed on them and dont let them run dry.

One of these warm days soon i may spend the time and break my hives apart and see whats going on. So far i have only done top down looks and knocking on the sides.

Anyway, here is two pictures from my garden hive which seems to either be my most ineffcient hive or my most productive, we shall see this coming spring... This one hive is tearing through the pollen patties and just now starting in on the fondant. My thoughts are since they are still heavy on the honey side and not really messing with the fondant that much (still the orginal slab) is that they are efficient, active at cold temps, large cluster, and healthy. But who really knows.