Wednesday 6.2.19   1930
Opened two beehives today to see if they are ready to rob.  They are both starting to cap honey in the supers, but not ready to go just yet.
Some of the commercial beekeepers in Tassie have lost a large percentage of their hives and significant stands of leatherwood trees have been destroyed.   Leatherwood is Tassie's best known honey and commands a premium price.  Production is going to be significantly reduced, not just this year, but for some time into the future.  Hobby, and small-scale, beekeepers like us are going to need to be careful as the value of colonies and honey increases.  The problem is likely to be opportunists who see hives in accessible places and knock them off under cover of darkness.  I have one which is visible and accessible from the highway, so I'll move it within the next few days.
We have no W&As for our fire at present, though there are some for other fires in the state.  Rain is forecast for tonight and tomorrow, with showers predicted for the next few days.