42. Update on the bees...

I inspected the bees yesterday - it's best to wait for this (slightly) warmer weather to open up the hive (otherwise they eat all their honey stores warming up!).

They are doing OK - 5 of the 11 frames are busy with bees. They have capped honey stores, uncapped nectar stores and pollen stores. And there is plenty of brood (bee grubs), so hopefully the hive is expanding. I really want to put a super on (this is a second box on top of the brood box which the Queen can't get into and so the honeycomb just fills with honey and no brood (which is not that tasty, although I would probably try it, maybe on toast?!)

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The garden, like the bees, is being a bit sluggish this year due to the recent cold snap. The fruit cage looks good, but the veg garden staples such as the beans and brassicas are almost non-existent.

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