This is why keeping bees is sooooo exciting !

 Aquilegia in my garden are a favourite with my honeybees - and the flowers last for weeks.
There were just seed pods when we came home but will make pretty Christmas decs. and the bees obviously did their job well.

I couldn't resist posting this pic. of  an equestrian show in Menorca.
Nothing to do with bees but remember that honeybees object to the
smell of horses and goats and can react quite violently.
When I got home and did the first inspection of the 4 hives this is what I found :
Silver hive - remember lost Q. and failed to raise a replacement on the
brood combs kindly donated by Blue Hive.  Then a  good friend gave me a sealed Q cell which I wrapped up to protect the developing larva and put in the middle of the brood nest. While I was away the virgin Q hatched out, mated and started laying!  I soon found her and marked her red - this year's colour.  This colony will now build up to strength ready to survive the winter but there will be no surplus honey from them.
Blue Hive:  Kind friends carried out an artificial swarm to prevent this colony from flying off into the great unknown!  On inspection I found the main Q cell sealed but also the little rascals had made 4 more Q cells.  You'll find out how I dealt with these tomorrow.
Goodnight - things to do QBZZZZZ

QB back from hols.!!

Sorry for "noblog" for so long. Guess where we went - for the hottest 2 weeks
in UK this decade.

Yes, somewhere in the Med.  Bumblebees still busy on Lantana camara. Somewhere on
this Lantana border at our favourite restaurant (C'an'Berto) were scores of Hummingbird moths.
Try to capture them on a pic.(impossible) or just sit and enjoy the spectacle.
Anyway we'd have more enjoyed the break if the summer in UK had been the usual
(wet/ cold/grey)  However on our return my first priority was to visit the 4 colonies of honeybees.
To find out what I found look for tomorrow's blog. All will be revealed. QB ZZZZZ

What with Wimbledon and hot weather .......

Honeysuckle defeats my bees - their tongues are too short!
When I go through the hives I make sure the queen isn't on the underside of the excluder.
I also scrape all bits of wax off the wires and tops of comb - and drop them in the solar
extractor to be melted and cleaned.