Yesterday, I finally had some time
and the weather cleared so that I could
check on my hives, Love and Grace.
They both had some honey, which tasted bitter,
and they both had brood in their combs.
not much , but enough.
I found a few hives beetles on the outside,
but not much evidence on the inside..
I did find some remnants of the "Count of Minty- Crisco" sweet grease pattis that I had placed last year as mite repellants. the exterior of the hive at the top of the telescoping covers were also still lubricated from where I sprayed last year to keep the beetles away.
They are greatly reduced in numbers,
and so I took out some of the burr comb and
cleaned up the propolis and left them with a tiny powdered sugar bath