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.

Pictures Anyone?

Readers,
Can you see the pictures I post? I am unable to see them and it makes posting very difficult....
Just wondering if it's different on different computers.
Leny

Company

Tracy visited the bees, even poked her head in to see the comb. She's so brave!
No new comb, just more honey.
I replaced a moldy quarter patty with a previously used half patty from earlier in the season.

Busy Berry Season

I sure hope the bees are doing okay. It's been a madhouse here in berry season. Picking and preserving stacked onto the normal chores of a family keep me so busy  that I barely have time to think of the bees. So I hope they can make it on their own until everything else slows down.

Honey

Fed the bees another quart in the morning (leftover from canning).

Bar #14 is mostly filled with honey and some pollen.

Last Comb

Fed bees another quart of 2:1 sugar to water; leftover syrup from canning apricots.
Bar #14 is finished but no other combs are started.

Pioneer Day

Viewed via webcam - last comb almost vacant of bees.