No Protection

I'm getting quicker at routine syrup feedings. I had 8 quarts of 2:1 sugar syrup leftover from canning.

This time I did it without any protection. I open the cover, remove three to four bars, take out the empty jar, take a photo of the comb, observe the bees, put the new syrup in, close up the bars, and replace the cover. It takes about five minutes if I drag it out.

There were bees all over the patty I fed them last week.

No new comb. There are still about 8 empty bars at the back of the hive.

I'm having trouble keeping the water clean and to keep the bees from drowning. We seem to have a visitor to the water that removes marbles and skewers.

I wonder when the honey harvest is...? I'm not expecting anything, though I think it would be interesting to try at least one bar.