Feeding frenzy in the backyard!

I went out to give Aureus another bag of sugar syrup today. That's how we feed a long hive, with a gallon bag placed inside the hive. The bag has small slits cut in the top surface which allow the bees to reach the syrup inside without it leaking out. During the dearth, the bees know a good thing when they find it, and they can put away a gallon of syrup in just a couple of days.

There are always some drips when you slit a feed bag, so I had a saucer handy to catch them. Afterwards, I set the saucer down on the bottom board so the girls could easily clean up. But they got much more excited than I was expecting!



It might look and sound threatening, but actually the girls are extremely gentle when they're focused on food.

Here's a close-up of the bees crowding into the saucer.



5 minutes before there was a quarter inch of syrup in it. They'll have it cleaned dry in no time.