I cornered N. today at the store while he was trying to shop. As it turns out, many people from this year's workshops have gone through a similar experience with their hives. (I dearly wish more people would have participated in the Facebook group, or this blog. Bunch of iconoclasts.) N. suspects the strain of bees, but I don't know. I'm reading the same sad tale from beeks all over the southeast. He said, "Can you imagine what it must have been like to keep bees in the 70's, before all this?"
It must have been a dream. A walk in the park. It must have been like casual sex, before AIDS.
I peeped into the hive last night after dark, just like you knew I would. I can't resist. There were no bees. Just a lot of hive beetles. Now, I'm sort of dithering. If my bees are now living in a tree, or maybe the studio walls, should I keep feeding them? They seemed hungry. Or should I let them go, let them learn to live on spanish needle and cypress vine, lantana and goldenrod? Do they need the support? Is it fair to ask S. to keep the feeder full while I'm on vacation? How much dang syrup would I need to make for 9 days? (1 quart/day x 9, well, okay 2 gallons plus... call it three...that's a lot of sugar...) Like I say, dithering.
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