Last Lick

Queen Bee has been spinning out the last honey from the combs.
Now the buckets are being scraped of the last precious drops.
The empty combs are still glistening with the sweet wetness that
the extractor could never remove.
These combs are being put back on the hives and the hard working
houseproud bees will lick out the last drops, dry the combs and polish the cells.
The combs will be stored somewhere cool and dry to use again next year.
The bees are still taking the sugar syrup into their stores to add to the honey
stores from the summer foraging. They can chemically reduce the sucrose with
digestive enzymes to form glucose and fructose which they can store and seal
without any risk of fermentation!
Today Queen and Consort visited the farmer who so kindly allowed us to put
the Blue hive on his pasture among the heather.  It is traditional to say "thankyou"
with a comb of heather honey which is very well received.
Tomorrow is the Show where we will sell our honey, candles and furniture polish.
The income will be spent on the bees.
XXQBXX