It was a rather unsettled day weather-wise, but most of our colonies were bringing home plenty of pollen.
It was orange pollen from the goldenrod flowers.
If the bees are gathering pollen, that means there are larvae to feed on it.
In other words, the queen is most likely laying eggs well.
If the bees seem to be in a good mood, too, then at first glance, the colony appears to be doing just fine.
Next week, I’ll inspect every colony again and take a closer look to make sure everything is as it should be. But even from these circumstantial clues, you can make a reasonable assessment.
Is that what they call experience?
When we were taking beekeeping classes in the U.S., our instructor once said something that stuck with us:
“If you ask ten beekeepers the same question, you’ll get twelve different answers.”
Lately, I’ve come to realize just how true that is.
After all, I’ve discovered that I can come up with about three different answers myself!
Honeybees, especially Western honeybees, have been kept and managed by humans for a very long time. Universities, government agencies, and private companies have all studied them through observation, experiments, and research.
And yet, there is still so much we don’t know about them.
Naturally, beekeepers also have all sorts of different ways of dealing with the same behavior or symptoms.
It’s a bit like when people catch a cold. Some drink kombu tea, some take medicine, some get an injection, and others take a spoonful of honey.
Some soak in a hot bath, others prefer a cold bath, and some say, “No, no! I’m staying away from the bath altogether!”
And then there are those who get vaccinated to protect themselves against future illness.
We all have our own ideas about what works best.
At BeeCamp, our approach is based on beekeeping techniques commonly used in the U.S. (or at least, that’s what we believe!).
On top of that foundation, we observe, think things through, and make our own judgments as we continue searching for what is truly best for the bees.
Ultimately, we want every colony to make it safely through the winter and welcome spring once again.
With that hope in mind, we carry on, one task at a time.