Roosting

The girls have finally figured it out - every night it seems they're in a different order but they love this roost.
No eggs - still eating and doing all that other stuff they do!







This is a chicken from the fair - one of my favorites - a little corny.

Happy Halloween

Aren't these the cutest little clowns you've ever seen!!!!

My girls at ages 2 and 4 - many years have passed but they're still the best treats I've ever gotten.

Wake County Beekeepers at the Fair

The Wake County Beekeepers Association was the big winner at the fair this year. A really good display booth and lots of ribbons from individual members for honey, mead, photography and cooking.






A beeswax angel ornament tree.

Denton Bell's photograph with his bee beard.











Don Hopkins in the bee booth at the fair.










The webcam inside the bee booth so you could see the bees up close.

Wax Moth Control

Para-Moth (paradich-lorobenzene) is used to control wax moths. I've put my empty supers outside this year due to lack of space in the barn and some wax moth issues last year - stacked about 4 or 5 high on pallets and top and bottom closed off - then you put the moth crystals on the top super - I put mine on a paper plate - about 3 oz and close it up. The gas produced is heavier than air and will escape. It's a strong smell much like moth balls - well, it is moth balls.

The supers will be fine all winter and I'll check again to replace the crystals when needed. I'll have to air all these out in the spring before using on the hives - like you do your winter clothes if you've had them in storage. This is the only chemical I use for my bees but wax moths are nasty and will destroy foundation in a minute.

Of course, it was cold as Moses last night, so any wax moths were probably killed by the cold but better safe than sorry.

Cutest Thing at the Fair

Without question, this was the cutest thing at the NC State Fair. He was just a mess - running around, kicking up his heels, having a big old time.

A little snack - then it's time for a nap.

Wildlife in North Carolina

In the September 2008 issue of "Wildlife in North Carolina" is an article by Clyde E. Sorenson, a professor of entomology at NCSU, "Plight of the Honeybee, Flight of the Bumblebee". Professor Sorenson writes about the different types of bees - 300 to 400 species of native bees in North Carolina - honey bees, carpenter bees, digger bees, leaf-cutter bees, bumblebees, sweat bees - just to name a few.

Carpenter bees, which resemble bumblebees, are noted for excavating small round holes in houses or other wooden buildings, in addition to gathering pollen. Their tunneling rarely does any damage.

This bee is covered in pollen.

Last of the Quilt Show Photos

There were so many quilts and such a variety of patterns, colors and styles.