They´re flying again

Mild February temperatures lure the bees out of their hives

Dear friends of the foundation,

dear readers,

It's now mid-February and, after the icy cold of the past few weeks, spring is coming to the country. And with it, the bees. We are very happy to be able to observe their first activities.

The pictures show hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis) on our windowsill in front of the breakfast area. It is quite a special sight to see a multitude of bees on these flowers after the first rays of sunshine. The lively activity also proves our point that it is not necessary to have a large garden for the bees. In this case, it is not even a balcony, but just a windowsill. We observe the bees for about three days, then the flowers obviously have nothing more to offer them and we put out new ones. The plants can be purchased here for about 50 pence each. When buying, make sure to choose ‘simple’ hyacinths if possible. Bees have no chance of getting to the nectar in heavily overbred plants. After flowering, we put the plants in the garden and can be sure that the bulbs will sprout and bloom again next spring. Simple, inexpensive, effective and recommended for imitation.

 However, the range of flowers available is very limited at the moment. If the weather continues, we expect that the first hazel pollen (Corylus avellana) will soon be available to the bees. What is a major nuisance for allergy sufferers is a valuable contribution to brood rearing in spring for bees. Hazel pollen is a good source of protein. Some wild bee species also fly to the hazel. The hazel itself does not need insects for pollination. It is wind-pollinated and releases large amounts of pollen into the air.

The bees also use these first flights as ‘cleaning flights’. In order not to dirty the beehive, their home, the bees collect their excrement in their faecal sac during winter. This sac is then emptied during the first flights. For beekeepers, this is a very good sign, as it shows that the colony has survived. Another benefit for the bees is that these first flights help them to orientate themselves in the area.

For all beekeepers among our readers, it is now important to check the weight of the hive weekly. As there is not a rich supply of nectar and pollen during the flights, the bees consume more energy than they bring in. This means that the bees are drawing on their food reserves in the hive. Caution is advised. If a food shortage becomes apparent, it is a good idea to feed the bees, preferably with their own honey, e.g. from the previous year's surplus.

Like all our readers, we are looking forward to the coming spring.

Warm regards and be(e) good,

Yours sincerely,

Klaus Heinzel

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)