More Sugar Syrup

Nothing much to report, but I wanted to log the fact that I put the feeders back on the hives and added 4 gallons of sugar syrup. As I mentioned in the last post, I cleaned the feeders up and by putting them on fresh and clean - minus bees and ants - I was able to pour in the syrup without drowning anybody. They were still working on the pollen patties, though they had consumed probably two thirds of them. I didn't smoke them, wore only my veil and I was pleased to see that they pretty much ignored me. Of course, the conditions were perfect with beautiful weather, cooler temps and half the hive out and about.
Couple of observations I'd like to share about other bee-types checking out the hive. For awhile, I had a couple of Carpenter bees who would probe the hive for entree. They were very cautious and kept a respectable distance for the most part. They are always fun to watch because they are incredible fliers. Honeybees fly by darting here and there. They hover only for a short time, if at all, and then zip to where they are going. They will crash into you or each other fairly often which tells me they haven't completely perfected their flying skills. Flying, for them, seems to be merely a means to an end. That is, getting to flowers and back to the hive as quickly as possible. I have sat in my car in the driveway after work and, against the dark backdrop of trees, I've watched bees from my hives shoot past like bullets, heading off to some distant source of nectar. They are bees on a mission. They have many mouths to feed. A different sort altogther are Carpenter Bees, those big black and yellow galoots, often mistaken for Bumblebees (they look similar, but Carpenter Bees, as the name would imply live in drilled out tunnels in wood. Bumblebees live in the ground.) Their flying ability is quite remarkable. I don't know if they can fly faster than honeybees because I have never seen one fly fast. They are slow, methodical fliers that seem to spend as much time hovering, swiveling around and flying from point to point in the air for the purpose of getting a better look at you as they do flying in straight lines anywhere. For them, flying is a highly evolved art. Of course, their slow, plodding ways are not a drawback for them as they are not required to help feed a large colony.
Flying in this way, the Carpenter Bees reconnoitered the hives, dancing back and forth, in and out, as if carefully choreographed. If they got too close, guard bees would fly up to them to give warning and they would back away. But tirelessly, they would continue to probe.
Yesterday, a different sort of bee or wasp tried to make entry into the hives. I don't know what it was. It was of the same general build as a honey bee but much larger and stockier with a distinct, bright yellow abdomen. Its probes at the hive entrance were much more aggressive and several times guards sallied forth and actually came in contact with it to drive it away. Whereas the Carpenter Bees never got closer than a foot or 18 inches from the hive entrance, this fellow came so close that I thought he might actually land. Several times he was within a couple of inches of the entrance before being driven away. After five minutes or so, he tried his luck with the other hive and then gave up and disappeared. I'm going to do some research on that guy - I'd love to know what he was.
Other critters that have shown an interest in the hive have included the aforementioned ants, who show no abatement!, and little bottle-green flies that will walk around on the landing board like they own the place. They are about a third their size and the bees seem to ignore them unless they try to actually enter the hive. When that happens they are run off. I have to give credit to these little guys for guts. No doubt their "noses" lead them there but I'm sure if they had any idea of the number of bees inside those boxes, they wouldn't be quite so bold.
Well, until next time...