Bee Chains, Forgotten Frame and Papalo...The Summer Cilantro

When I extracted honey, I forgot to put a frame back in one of the hives.  I had removed some undrawn frames of foundation to replace with a few combs I had when I removed the honey, and one frame just never got replaced.  A few days later when I discovered my mistake, I had to move the comb the bees had built in the void I had left onto a new frame.  They will have it fixed up in no time.  Also observed, my favorite...a bee chain, also called a festoon.  Bees link together and use their bodies to....actually no one knows for sure.  Measure space?  Help wax production some how? Another delightful bee mystery.

Chain of Bees

Oooops...forgot a frame.

Moving their handiwork

Also in full swing is a new plant we are growing at Garden Dreams this year called Papalo.  It is tall, hardy and delightful.  The flavor is a bit like citrus and cilantro and quite strong...you only need about 1/3 of the amount of cilantro you would use in a salsa for example.  It's great because cilantro is quick to bolt in the summer heat....when this Papalo just seems to keep on growin'.

Papalo...my new fave.

So aromatic...oil glands on papalo leaf underside.