Got a call this afternoon at 4 pm from my Dad. He told me it looked like the bees of the Beta hive were swarming!!! So I gathered up my gear and other equipment and headed out to the Bee yard.
It was partly sunny, 65º and lightly breezy.
Once on site my Dad and I checked on the girls to see what they were doing.
There were a lot of bees coming and going and flying around in front of the Beta hive. Looks like they didn't like being cooped up for a couple of days. Opened up the hive and found that 7 - 8 frames had drawn comb. So I went a head and installed a second hive body(the frames have small cell foundation). I also replaced the hive cover with a more standard inner cover and top telescoping cover. And since the feeder jar was empty ( it took the girls a week to empty it this time) I removed it. So now the Beta hive has two deep hive bodies.
A detailed hive inspection was not done at this time.
The Alpha hive was also busy but not like the Beta hive.
We opened up the Alpha hive for an inspection.
Since the hive boxes were swapped 22 March, the queen has been VERY busy laying eggs in the top hive box. I was able to see eggs and larva at various stages of maturity in six of the frames we looked at, and we spotted the queen. I carefully put that frame back in and put the other frames in order. I put a queen excluder on and a honey super, as well as a hive top feeder and closed it all up.
I noticed that the bees were busy building comb in the top hive body.
The hive top feeder still had sugar water. Sunday I am thinking of cleaning up the hive top feeder and putting in fresh sugar water.
While looking through the Alpha hive I did spot a couple of hive beetles.
The Alpha hive still has a migratory style top cover. If the new hive top for the Beta hive works well, I will get one for the Alpha hive.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
26 March, 2009 - 6 pm
Yesterday I received a shipment of bee hive parts. I put together ten frames yesterday and will finish wiring them tonight , to then install wax foundation. One of the hive bodies is to be used for the Beta hive. I will be adding a second hive super to that hive, it will use small cell foundation for the wax foundation.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
22 March, 2009 - 10:30am
It was 65º at the bee yard. It was time to swap brood boxes of the Alpha hive. So I went ahead and did it. I tried to be as careful as possible. I did not move or inspect any of the frames, I only wanted to move boxes around. The feeder was half empty. So they must be getting food from elsewhere.
Next weekend I'll do a hive inspection on the Alpha Hive.
I only checked the feeder jar of the Beta hive and it was half empty, so they too are bringing in food.
Next weekend I'll do a hive inspection on the Alpha Hive.
I only checked the feeder jar of the Beta hive and it was half empty, so they too are bringing in food.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
17 March, 2009 - 4:30 pm
Made it out to the Bee yard at around 4:30pm. Fired up the smoker just in case it was needed.
As I approached the Charlie hive things just did not seem right. There was no bee activity at all at the entrance. There was no buzzing coming from the hive. I opened it up and found maybe a couple hundred bees inside. I moved the frames so I could look at the queen cage. All of the attendant bees were alive but the queen was not. She was balled up at the bottom of the queen cage. I could not see any signs of stings or outright damage. So it seems that the long trip here, stressed the queen. Since I found so few bees its doubtful the remaining larva and capped brood will survive.
I did not want to take any more frames from the Alpha hive. That hives queen finally started laying.
The Alpha hive seems to be doing well even after I took several frames to make the now failed Charlie hive. I checked for more signs of queen activity. The queen has been busy laying. I was able to see eggs and larva of various ages. I put a honey super on today to give the bees something to do. This weekend I will swap the top and bottom brood supers to get the queen moving through the frames. There is still plenty of sugar water in the hive top feeder.
The Beta hive seems to be doing well. I was able to spot the queen. I saw larva of various ages. Since 6 out of 10 frames were used, I put a honey super on in hopes that the bees will start working on the frames. Next week I should be receiving the hive body with frames and foundation to put on this hive. The feeder jar was 2/3 full.
Its most unfortunate that the the queen of Charlie hive perished. I believe I did what I could. Next time around I will just try to raise a queen from a split instead of ordering a queen.
As I approached the Charlie hive things just did not seem right. There was no bee activity at all at the entrance. There was no buzzing coming from the hive. I opened it up and found maybe a couple hundred bees inside. I moved the frames so I could look at the queen cage. All of the attendant bees were alive but the queen was not. She was balled up at the bottom of the queen cage. I could not see any signs of stings or outright damage. So it seems that the long trip here, stressed the queen. Since I found so few bees its doubtful the remaining larva and capped brood will survive.
I did not want to take any more frames from the Alpha hive. That hives queen finally started laying.
The Alpha hive seems to be doing well even after I took several frames to make the now failed Charlie hive. I checked for more signs of queen activity. The queen has been busy laying. I was able to see eggs and larva of various ages. I put a honey super on today to give the bees something to do. This weekend I will swap the top and bottom brood supers to get the queen moving through the frames. There is still plenty of sugar water in the hive top feeder.
The Beta hive seems to be doing well. I was able to spot the queen. I saw larva of various ages. Since 6 out of 10 frames were used, I put a honey super on in hopes that the bees will start working on the frames. Next week I should be receiving the hive body with frames and foundation to put on this hive. The feeder jar was 2/3 full.
Its most unfortunate that the the queen of Charlie hive perished. I believe I did what I could. Next time around I will just try to raise a queen from a split instead of ordering a queen.
Monday, March 16, 2009
16 March, 2009 - 2pm
Today, since it was about the third day that the bees have been sealed in the hive, the smallest opening of the entrance reducer was unblocked. My Dad said hundreds of bees poured out! I am hoping the bees were just going out for fresh air.
At any rate, there should be enough nurse bees and workers left behind to carry on with the new queen. Hopefully the new queen was successfully released. I will know more tomorrow evening.
At any rate, there should be enough nurse bees and workers left behind to carry on with the new queen. Hopefully the new queen was successfully released. I will know more tomorrow evening.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
15 March, 2009 - 2pm
My Dad called to let me know he changed feeder jars.
The Beta hive consumed the remainder of its jar and a fresh full jar was installed.
The Charlie hive feeder jar was down to 1/3 but was changed out anyways with a full jar.
The Alpha hive should be just fine since its using a large feeder tray.
Monday I am considering removing the hive entrance blocks for the Charlie hive. The girls should be accustomed to the new queen by that time.
The Beta hive consumed the remainder of its jar and a fresh full jar was installed.
The Charlie hive feeder jar was down to 1/3 but was changed out anyways with a full jar.
The Alpha hive should be just fine since its using a large feeder tray.
Monday I am considering removing the hive entrance blocks for the Charlie hive. The girls should be accustomed to the new queen by that time.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
14 March, 2009 - 9am
Saturday Plans...Hive Conditions and weather permiting,
PLAN A
* If Alpha hive did not have any signs of brood, the queen is to be replaced with the new queen
PLAN B
* If Alpha hive did have brood - take some of the frames of brood with bees and food frames and make a split and install new queen, call new split / Hive - Charlie Hive
Plan B was initiated...and completed, Charlie Hive is now online
=====================
Alpha Hive - has new frames with new foundation replacing the removed frames. The hive now has a top hive feeder the size of a small super providing sugar water to help with the comb building and new brood. I borrowed that feeder from a fellow beekeeper just this once. I will be ordering mine very soon. Alpha hive is still using an entrance reducer. I didn't have a painted/sealed hive cover, so I used a piece of 1/2" plywood as a temporary cover. Hopefully the weather will not adversely affect this temporary cover.
Beta Hive - checked the feeder jar - half consumed.
Inspected a few frames
* found brood of various ages, found a lot of capped brood
* didn't inspect all other frames, just looked at outer edge frame
the bees are drawing comb on new foundation frames
Hive entrance is still the entrance reducer set at smallest opening.
Charlie Hive - Since Alpha hive queen started laying - took a couple of new brood frames and made a split and called it Charlie Hive - also took 2 frames that had pollen, uncapped honey, capped honey. Installed the new queen and removed the cork from the candy filled end of the queen cage. I will leave the hive closed(entrance blocked to prevent bees from leaving) so the bees acclimate to new environment and a new queen. Hopefully the transplanted worker/nurse bees do not turn on new caged queen.
The feeder now used on this hive came from the Alpha hive and it was half empty.
PLAN A
* If Alpha hive did not have any signs of brood, the queen is to be replaced with the new queen
PLAN B
* If Alpha hive did have brood - take some of the frames of brood with bees and food frames and make a split and install new queen, call new split / Hive - Charlie Hive
Plan B was initiated...and completed, Charlie Hive is now online
=====================
Alpha Hive - has new frames with new foundation replacing the removed frames. The hive now has a top hive feeder the size of a small super providing sugar water to help with the comb building and new brood. I borrowed that feeder from a fellow beekeeper just this once. I will be ordering mine very soon. Alpha hive is still using an entrance reducer. I didn't have a painted/sealed hive cover, so I used a piece of 1/2" plywood as a temporary cover. Hopefully the weather will not adversely affect this temporary cover.
Beta Hive - checked the feeder jar - half consumed.
Inspected a few frames
* found brood of various ages, found a lot of capped brood
* didn't inspect all other frames, just looked at outer edge frame
the bees are drawing comb on new foundation frames
Hive entrance is still the entrance reducer set at smallest opening.
Charlie Hive - Since Alpha hive queen started laying - took a couple of new brood frames and made a split and called it Charlie Hive - also took 2 frames that had pollen, uncapped honey, capped honey. Installed the new queen and removed the cork from the candy filled end of the queen cage. I will leave the hive closed(entrance blocked to prevent bees from leaving) so the bees acclimate to new environment and a new queen. Hopefully the transplanted worker/nurse bees do not turn on new caged queen.
The feeder now used on this hive came from the Alpha hive and it was half empty.
Friday, March 13, 2009
13 March, 2009 - 7pm
The queen that I ordered on Monday 9 March of this week, arrived today!
The local Postal Center has a bad habit of not answering their phone DURING BUSINESS HOURS. So I had to contact a US Postal Center IN ANOTHER COUNTY and give them important information about the queen bee package, and they contacted my local Postal Center and passed on the info. The Postal Center in the other county was a great help and I really appreciate what they did in this situation. I know I can trust them for important deliveries.
Now to make matters worse, the local Postal Center here completely ignored the detailed instructions they were given in regards to handling the queen bee package. They even put the queen package on a delivery truck AND sent it out on routes AS IF IT WAS A LETTER. Apparently they don't understand simple instructions AND they have difficulty reading MAIL PACKAGES!!!
I could go on and on about how many things that they did wrong....but I won't.
I am very glad the queen and attendants arrived alive.
I have given the girls some water and will monitor them overnight. I hope they are not too stressed and will be okay.
The local Postal Center has a bad habit of not answering their phone DURING BUSINESS HOURS. So I had to contact a US Postal Center IN ANOTHER COUNTY and give them important information about the queen bee package, and they contacted my local Postal Center and passed on the info. The Postal Center in the other county was a great help and I really appreciate what they did in this situation. I know I can trust them for important deliveries.
Now to make matters worse, the local Postal Center here completely ignored the detailed instructions they were given in regards to handling the queen bee package. They even put the queen package on a delivery truck AND sent it out on routes AS IF IT WAS A LETTER. Apparently they don't understand simple instructions AND they have difficulty reading MAIL PACKAGES!!!
I could go on and on about how many things that they did wrong....but I won't.
I am very glad the queen and attendants arrived alive.
I have given the girls some water and will monitor them overnight. I hope they are not too stressed and will be okay.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
12 March, 2009 - 4pm
Visited the Bee yard today. The Alpha hive looked pretty busy. The feeder jar was 2/3 full.
The Beta hive looked busy today. The feeder jar was empty. Installed a fresh, full jar.
Didn't see any signs of ants or other external pests.
The Beta hive looked busy today. The feeder jar was empty. Installed a fresh, full jar.
Didn't see any signs of ants or other external pests.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
10 March, 2009 - 4pm
Went out to the bee yard to make preparations to the Alpha hive for a new queen. I arranged empty drawn frames in the middle of the hive and frames with pollen and food on each side of the empty drawn frames.
While going through those frames I was just looking over two frames that were just packed with bees. On one of those frames I found an unmarked queen. She was milling around like the other bees. I watched her for at least 30 seconds, shocked that I had found a queen. During that time she was not in a hurry to hide and seemed to moving along just fine. I didn't see her laying any eggs. I carefully put that frame back in the box and then spaced the other frames and carefully put the lid back on.
Hmmmm...
Since there is a honey super on the Alpha hive and none of the frames have drawn comb I put a full jar of 1:1 sugar water in the feeder slot.
I also put a full jar of 1:1 sugar water on the Beta hive.
Soon I need to "fog" both hives to deal with mites.
While going through those frames I was just looking over two frames that were just packed with bees. On one of those frames I found an unmarked queen. She was milling around like the other bees. I watched her for at least 30 seconds, shocked that I had found a queen. During that time she was not in a hurry to hide and seemed to moving along just fine. I didn't see her laying any eggs. I carefully put that frame back in the box and then spaced the other frames and carefully put the lid back on.
Hmmmm...
Since there is a honey super on the Alpha hive and none of the frames have drawn comb I put a full jar of 1:1 sugar water in the feeder slot.
I also put a full jar of 1:1 sugar water on the Beta hive.
Soon I need to "fog" both hives to deal with mites.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
9 March, 2009 - 1 pm
Since the bees of Alpha hive are busy storing food. I put a honey super on the hive so they can fill that with honey / pollen instead of the lower brood boxes.
The feeder jar was just at the half full mark.
The feeder jar was just at the half full mark.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
8 March, 2009 - 1:pm
The weather was about 75º, with a slight breeze.
Gene and went out to where I keep my bees to inspect them. We opened up the Alpha hive. We thought it would be a good idea to check each frame for brood and such. We went through all the frames in the top brood box and did not find any brood( no eggs, larva or capped brood). That seemed very odd. But the bees were storing pollen and nectar, because the frames that should have had brood contained only food.
We then decided to look into the bottom brood box. We examined all of the frames and found only pollen and uncapped honey. No signs( no eggs, larva or capped brood) of the queen were evident. But there were so many bees, busily bringing in pollen and nectar filling up cells.
So sometime in late January, early February I must have injured or killed the queen.
Gene and I were discussing what to do about this situation. So I called our Bee Associations President for some help and information. I explained to him what we found and he confirmed what we guessed, no queen.
I will be ordering a queen for the Alpha hive early next week.
The hive inspection for the Beta hive was very short. Opened the hive and moved a couple of frames to look for queen activity.
Found larva and capped brood. Buttoned it back up and left the Bee yard a little sad.
The feeder jars for both hives were just above half full, I left them in place.
Gene and went out to where I keep my bees to inspect them. We opened up the Alpha hive. We thought it would be a good idea to check each frame for brood and such. We went through all the frames in the top brood box and did not find any brood( no eggs, larva or capped brood). That seemed very odd. But the bees were storing pollen and nectar, because the frames that should have had brood contained only food.
We then decided to look into the bottom brood box. We examined all of the frames and found only pollen and uncapped honey. No signs( no eggs, larva or capped brood) of the queen were evident. But there were so many bees, busily bringing in pollen and nectar filling up cells.
So sometime in late January, early February I must have injured or killed the queen.
Gene and I were discussing what to do about this situation. So I called our Bee Associations President for some help and information. I explained to him what we found and he confirmed what we guessed, no queen.
I will be ordering a queen for the Alpha hive early next week.
The hive inspection for the Beta hive was very short. Opened the hive and moved a couple of frames to look for queen activity.
Found larva and capped brood. Buttoned it back up and left the Bee yard a little sad.
The feeder jars for both hives were just above half full, I left them in place.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
5 March, 2009 - 3pm
Checked on the feeder jars of the hives. Alpha hive was down to less than a quarter, it was replaced with a full jar. Beta hive was down to a quarter, it was replaced with a full jar, 2:1 mix.
Although the weather was warm, I was unable to look inside the hive. Hopefully this weekend I will have a chance to see how the hives are doing inside.
Although the weather was warm, I was unable to look inside the hive. Hopefully this weekend I will have a chance to see how the hives are doing inside.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
3 March, 2009 - 4:30pm
Stopped by to check on the hives. It was ~45º, so it was too cold to do anything except check the feeder jars.
Beta Colony was down to half a jar. That jar was in place since Friday evening. So I went ahead and replaced it with a full jar.
There was very little outside activity.
Beta Colony was down to half a jar. That jar was in place since Friday evening. So I went ahead and replaced it with a full jar.
There was very little outside activity.
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