Winter is Coming

Inevitably, our four-winged friends will feature in this log, so they may as well make an early appearance. Frames of honeycomb can sometimes be spectacularly harlequin coloured, so this is relatively subdued, but I like the autumnal hues and the sense of peace and order

This is probably the last time we will disturb the colonies until March - reassured, as we now are, that they have the number of individuals and the stocks of food to carry the queen and remnant population through the long, dark winter months. It is a strange feeling, having spent so much time and concern on them throughout the summer, to know that we will not really meet again until the flowering currant is in bloom

Technical detail: The orange/yellow cells are filled with pollen - protein-rich food for rearing young bees. The darker cells are part-filled with nectar, undergoing conversion to honey - the energy source to keep the colony warm and active all winter