Kirkobeeo: Signs of Spring

Kirk says:

I have noticed in Silverlake there are always signs of early spring. As a beekeeper you should make yourself aware of the early spring indicators.

Here are mine. This is the first to bloom and the bees love these cactus. Over the next three weeks the blooms on these cactus really fill out. You might be able to see the bees on the close up.

I will keep you updated with more pics as the flowers develop. Also the other indicator is the Peach tree in the Chinatown garden. I checked today it is about 3 weeks away from blooming. Drive around your bee locations and make yourself aware of what is in bloom!

kirkobeeo

Bee art

Bees are perfect subjects for visual artists.

Marinna Wagner sent us a great bee drawing earlier this year, and now comes this:

Hello there Kirk and company,

I saw you lecture at Farmlab a few weeks back and was inspired to make this art piece (attached)!

What I was really interested to learn about was the difference between wild bees and commercial bees, I had no idea!

Anyways,

Happy Holidays,

Sonia Romero
http://www.SoniaRomero.com

Thanks Sonia!

Bee Meeting Recap

We had a great turnout at yesterday's Backwards Beekeepers meeting, held at downtown LA's Farmlab.


First off, respect must be paid to the amazing beehive cake created by Barbara Monderine, co-owner of Village Bakery & Cafe in Atwater. She is a superstar.



Kirk showed off his mohawk, Steven demonstrated his extremely well-crafted bee vacuum, and a great deal of knowledge changed hands.





And Dennis blazed new trails in Christmas/Beekeeping fashion.


Thanks to Rick Poon for sending photos!

Kirkobeeo comes to your TV.

Kirk says:

I did this reality show thing. Episode coming soon. Here are two pics of the film crew getting suited up.

kirkobeeo

After the deluge....

...the bees are back to business with their usual frenzy.

I got to thinking out there in the backyard sogginess...what about the bees on Noah's ark? Two of each kind means a queen and a drone, I guess. So who did all the work—building comb, collecting food, keeping the place tidy?? Okay, okay, it's just a myth, but inquiring minds need to know...

Kirkobeeo: Don't fear the cold

Kirk says:

Some people worry about their bees getting cold. Here is a pic of a nuc I have in China Town. They are in a cardboard box. Through the rain. Checked them today. Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzing away.

Also a pic of my other two hives.The one with the Gray box are the bees I got in San Pedro. The Ag agent ordered the lady to remove them. They're kinda mean. I will check them out in a few weeks to see if they are still mean.

Bees in the trees

Backwards Beekeepers Dennis and Steven did a tree hive removal recently, and Dennis has the whole story on his blog:

Steve did most of the bee collecting. The new beekeeper Ed G. was filming the event for posterity and jumping in to help when he could. The neighbors came over for a glance from time to time but most kept a good distance.

Feral Hive - New Home - Redondo Beach (The Buzz In The Dale)

No bee sweaters necessary.

The cold doesn't appear to be slowing our bees down a bit. The morning sunlight on the hive seems to help get them up and working right away.

How are everyone else's bees looking in this chill air?

Next meeting: Sunday, December 20th

The next meeting of the Backwards Beekeepers will be held on Sunday, December 20th.

Details will be forthcoming, but there will definitely be a short film screening, a bee-vacuum demo by Steven, and the new Backwards Beekeepers t-shirts will be available for purchase at $15 each.

When: Sunday, December 20 at 11am
Where: Under Spring outdoor space at Farmlab in downtown L.A.

Farmlab Directions

You want to follow the above directions most of the way, but park on Aurora and walk through the alley (under Spring) to the meeting.

Check out this view to see what it looks like from the street.

Snacks/questions/newbies always welcome.