It's 12 noon on August 5 (birthday of two of my daughters) and as I look out on the hives, I noticed that they are not in the sun at all. This is a good thing in Atlanta when it feels like 105 and very humid as it does today.
However, it is my understanding that the bees feel much more inspired in the sunshine to go out and forage and work hard in the hives. This will not be a day of inspiration for them - as you can see by their hanging out on the front porch. Usually in the middle of the day there are only a few bees hanging out - most are inside working or outside foraging.
So is the shade a problem? If I decide that it is, I can trim some branches from the oak tree that is causing the August morning shade.
I just found your blog while doing a search on cleome.
ReplyDeleteI love it! I just did a post not to long ago on my gardening blog about how I don't see too many Cleveland honey bees anymore.
It is so awesome that you have some hives. I am looking forward to reading more about your efforts.
I find that shade isn't as big an issue as everyone claims it is. In the summer, my hives get direct sun for about 3 hours and, indirect from sunrise untill about 1pm. In the winter they don't get any direct sun at all ( a part of the house steals all the sun's rays). These hives are usually my strongest and, one of them has given me 4 supers of honey this year. Their temperment is also better than all my hives that spend most of the day in full sun (with the exception of the TBH but, that's in a different class of hives and is like comparing apples to oranges). I guess the bees don't read the same books I do...
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