The bees are still making flights in and out of the hive, but in very small numbers compared to the summer. Flights at this time of year tend to be for gathering water or to dispose of bees which have died in the hive.

24/02/2010 We have taken the opportunity of a brief warm period this afternoon to clean the inside of the glass and the picture is much better now.

The bees have now started rearing brood - the capped cells to the left of the screen are capped larvae. These will emerge in a few days as adult bees.

This is the start of the spring build up of numbers so that hopefully there will be plenty of bees to collect nectar and pollen when the first flowering plants appear.