It seems like ages since I've last time seen my bees, or any bees. It was beginning of the December when I dropped some fondant on as 'emergency feed' to keep them going for months ahead.
Last few years I've been paid to keep bees on our local shopping centre's roof, but just got call that they wanted to end it...so today being reasonably good day we went to fetch the hives back on allotment.
One hive, that I knew had fairly good size winter colony was active and eating the fondant away..that was packed VERY carefully for transport..other one, no sign of any life and fondant wasn't touched neither. I didn't lift the crownboard to see if there was any live ones left or not, but 'packed the hive', plenty of straps on and off we went.
Back on the allotment, once I removed the bungs from the entrances....."whoaaa!" ..loads of bees came to check up their new recidence...and from both hives
Now I feel like the spring is almost there...bees were sunning in their new spots and so far future is looking positive!!!!!!!...at least there is bees in there. They are going to be pampered with plenty of more fondant to make sure they don't go hunry...spring feed to follow to get them really going and then there is no stopping them...LET THE HONEY FLOODS COME...