Drop in population.

It's been almost a month since I've posted anything here. I've had company visiting from the East Coast, and have also been busy getting ready for the new school year (I am a teacher).

We are still in the middle of a drought of historic proportions here in California. I am still observing foragers returning with pollen, but there seems that there are fewer bees. I've sat and watched for drones returning from their congregations in the afternoon and have seen far fewer of them. I believe that most of them have been expelled.

I haven't done a hive inspection for awhile. I've noticed three things:

1. Workers have been building more comb

2. There are fewer bees

3. They seem slower

Here are a couple of pictures showing what I mean.

This shot is taken at the far end of the hive. The exposed come to the right used to be covered with bees. I thought that this meant that we were in a nectar flow and that bees were out foraging. If that were true, these would be covered with bees at night. Not so.

Here is a view including comb covered by workers. I think I need to inspect the hive and see what's going on inside. Maybe over Labor Day weekend.