28 April, 2013 - 2pm
The hive that was not thriving has perished. Today I found roaches, ants and many other bug types in the hive. Disassembled it and put the various hive pieces in the freezers at home.
The package hive - replaced the quart jar today, did not inspect this weekend, weather permitting I will do that next weekend.
The remaining hive - Removed a honey super to crowd the bees down into the lower supers.
Applied insecticed around the hive stand legs. Might have to use commercial stuff if the homebrew doesn't work.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Honey Harvest
21 April, 2 pm 2013
Harvested 7 frames from a honey super today from one of the hives. The honey has been extracted and is settling and will be bottled in a day or two.
The package bees still did not release their queen when I checked today. So I went a head and released her into the hive. I put a fresh quart jar of sugar water on the hive and will not open the hive for a week or so but I will replenish their sugar water as needed.
I did not do any inspection on the third hive.
Harvested 7 frames from a honey super today from one of the hives. The honey has been extracted and is settling and will be bottled in a day or two.
The package bees still did not release their queen when I checked today. So I went a head and released her into the hive. I put a fresh quart jar of sugar water on the hive and will not open the hive for a week or so but I will replenish their sugar water as needed.
I did not do any inspection on the third hive.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
New Queen
At 6:15 this morning I received a call from the local U.S. Postal office. They informed me my bees were ready to pick up.
Country Bees
It was about 72° with clear skies.
At the hive I removed the other queen cage and found that they bees had drawn several pieces of comb. I removed those pieces and installed the new queen cage, put everything back together and put a fresh 1 quart feeder jar on the hive. I will take a look at the hive in 3 days or so...
Monday, April 15, 2013
15 April, 2013, 10 am
While putting the package bees into the hive body found out the queen was dead. One of the attendents was too but the others were fine. The company that sold the bees is sending me a replacement queen! Should be here in a couple of days.
Pic of a 2 pound package of bees with a queen.
I went ahead and put a jar of sugar water on the hive. Hopefully the new queen will arrive alive!
While putting the package bees into the hive body found out the queen was dead. One of the attendents was too but the others were fine. The company that sold the bees is sending me a replacement queen! Should be here in a couple of days.
Pic of a 2 pound package of bees with a queen.
I went ahead and put a jar of sugar water on the hive. Hopefully the new queen will arrive alive!
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Sunday, April 7, 2013
7 April 2013, 1:30 pm
Country Bees
The hive named hotel is not doing so well. Opened up the hive today for the first time this year. The top honey super was empty, no bees no drawn comb, but there were alot of roaches in and around the frames of this top super. The next 2 supers had the 4 middle frames covered with bees but the brood pattens were spotty and no signs of new eggs or old eggs. The bottom hive body has 6 frames covered in bees and spotty brood patterns. There were drones scattered about on all frames that I checked. I did not see new eggs or a queen. I also did not find any queen/supercedure cells. There was not much honey stored or pollen in any of the frames I examined. I noticed that the bees were very very calm no matter what I did to the frames while examining them. Also noticed that some of the bees were trembling or twitching as if poisoned or stunned.
The hive named India seems to be doing good. The top honey super is full of honey! Most is being capped! I put another honey super on that one and left it alone. I will inspect that one next weekend, hopefully.
Next weekend I will be picking up a 2 pound package of bees with a marked queen and putting them in a nuc box with the country bees.
Country Bees
The hive named hotel is not doing so well. Opened up the hive today for the first time this year. The top honey super was empty, no bees no drawn comb, but there were alot of roaches in and around the frames of this top super. The next 2 supers had the 4 middle frames covered with bees but the brood pattens were spotty and no signs of new eggs or old eggs. The bottom hive body has 6 frames covered in bees and spotty brood patterns. There were drones scattered about on all frames that I checked. I did not see new eggs or a queen. I also did not find any queen/supercedure cells. There was not much honey stored or pollen in any of the frames I examined. I noticed that the bees were very very calm no matter what I did to the frames while examining them. Also noticed that some of the bees were trembling or twitching as if poisoned or stunned.
The hive named India seems to be doing good. The top honey super is full of honey! Most is being capped! I put another honey super on that one and left it alone. I will inspect that one next weekend, hopefully.
Next weekend I will be picking up a 2 pound package of bees with a marked queen and putting them in a nuc box with the country bees.
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