Here's a new picture from new beekeeper Paul taken during our inspection at the weekend. The bee with the red blobs on her back legs (find the middle, then go left and down a bit) has been collecting propylis! Propylis is tree sap which the bees collect and use like glue, to fill in gaps etc in the hive. They use the same part of the body that they use to collect pollen but with propylis other bees have to clean it off and take it away to be used...it's too sticky for the bee to clean off herself! Summer is the only time of the year when bees can collect propylis so they'll be working hard and cementing up hive bits and bobs right now.
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