Naming the hives...
The bees at the bee yard (in the country) already have the names Alpha and Beta.
The names for the bees in the backyard are;
The first hive I put back there - Epsilon hive, the first swarm hive - Zeta hive, and the second swarm hive - Eta Hive.
Now I'll see about remembering those names.
1:30 pm
Backyard Bees
Epsilon Hive -
There are about 50 to 100 bees hanging out on the porch, cleaning and milling around at this time of the day! Looks like a swarm is soon to happen with these girls...
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
17 APR, 1:50 pm - 2011
It was 70º and breezy at the backyard bees.
The first swarm hive
The girls have created 6 queen cells and they are capped! The cells are on frame 4 in the middle of the frame. It looks like this hive had eggs I didn't find during the last inspection. After finding that I put everything back together and will leave it alone till next week some time.
I also gave the hive a fresh jar of 1:1 sugar/water.
The backyard bees(the first hive I put in the back yard)
I found eggs!!! and I found the queen. I found her on frame 5 and eggs on frames 4 and 6. I also found a frame that had a swarm cell with an egg in it!!!!
So I put everything back together and will wait and see what happens, because I don't have any more hive equipement ready to make a split!!!!
The second swarm
I will not inspect this hive till next weekend but I looked around the hive for ants and pests - so far none found. Also there is alot of activity going on at the entrance. I hope they stick around. I put a full jar of sugar/water on today.
2:30 pm
Country Bees
Alpha Hive
I opened up the hive and found that the queen's laying pattern is very sporadic. I found very few eggs. All the bees in the hive at the time I checked only covered 3 frames. I took three frames from the Beta hive that had eggs/larva/brood and some nurse bees and added them to this hive. Hope this will help. Buttoned up the hive after the additions.
Beta Hive
This hive has three deeps and two honey supers.
This hive has a lot of entrance activity. When I first arrived at the hive I thought the bees were in the process of swarming. Seems like its just their normal activity. This hive does have three deeps, so thats probably the reason.
I opened up the top honey super and found that all frames have curing honey and 3/4 of the frames are capped! Maybe in a week they will finish it up.
I put that top honey super aside and looked through the second honey super. That super is also like the first one. I put this one aside and started looking through the top hive body. On the second frame I removed(frame 8) I found the queen. I was as carefull as I could be and put it back. Frame 10 was all capped honey, frame 9 was all covered in capped brood and 8 had one side all capped brood with the other partially open cells and eggs/larva and capped brood.
I took frames 2,3,4 from this hive and put it in the Alpha Hive, I put in empty drawn comb, then put everything back together.
I also added a third honey super to this hive.
The first swarm hive
The girls have created 6 queen cells and they are capped! The cells are on frame 4 in the middle of the frame. It looks like this hive had eggs I didn't find during the last inspection. After finding that I put everything back together and will leave it alone till next week some time.
I also gave the hive a fresh jar of 1:1 sugar/water.
The backyard bees(the first hive I put in the back yard)
I found eggs!!! and I found the queen. I found her on frame 5 and eggs on frames 4 and 6. I also found a frame that had a swarm cell with an egg in it!!!!
So I put everything back together and will wait and see what happens, because I don't have any more hive equipement ready to make a split!!!!
The second swarm
I will not inspect this hive till next weekend but I looked around the hive for ants and pests - so far none found. Also there is alot of activity going on at the entrance. I hope they stick around. I put a full jar of sugar/water on today.
2:30 pm
Country Bees
Alpha Hive
I opened up the hive and found that the queen's laying pattern is very sporadic. I found very few eggs. All the bees in the hive at the time I checked only covered 3 frames. I took three frames from the Beta hive that had eggs/larva/brood and some nurse bees and added them to this hive. Hope this will help. Buttoned up the hive after the additions.
Beta Hive
This hive has three deeps and two honey supers.
This hive has a lot of entrance activity. When I first arrived at the hive I thought the bees were in the process of swarming. Seems like its just their normal activity. This hive does have three deeps, so thats probably the reason.
I opened up the top honey super and found that all frames have curing honey and 3/4 of the frames are capped! Maybe in a week they will finish it up.
I put that top honey super aside and looked through the second honey super. That super is also like the first one. I put this one aside and started looking through the top hive body. On the second frame I removed(frame 8) I found the queen. I was as carefull as I could be and put it back. Frame 10 was all capped honey, frame 9 was all covered in capped brood and 8 had one side all capped brood with the other partially open cells and eggs/larva and capped brood.
I took frames 2,3,4 from this hive and put it in the Alpha Hive, I put in empty drawn comb, then put everything back together.
I also added a third honey super to this hive.
Friday, April 15, 2011
15 APR, 10:45 am - 2011
I received a phone call yesterday evening and was informed that a swarm had settled on some equipment at a Munical Airport where I live. I stopped by today at about 10:45 am today and found a swarm hanging from the equipment about two feet from the ground. I used 5 gallon bucket that was well ventilated and scooped most of the bees into it. I dumped that into a hive body and waited for the bees to settle down. I did that one more time and captured most of the bees. I brought the bees home to a spot in my backyard. I put a 1:1 sugar/water feeder jar on the hive and then secured the hive so the wind and weather would not disturb it.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
9 APR 10 am - 2011
Backyard Bees
I have yet to name the hives, still working on a naming scheme.
The hive that swarmed last weekend...
I was inspecting the top hive body and found a queen! Its likely she is a new born, hopefully she will stick around. The bees attitude was pretty good considering they recently swarmed and I had honey supers and a hive body in pieces doing an inspection. After finding the queen I searched through a few more frames and found one frame with a queen cell that was capped! I removed the frame and put it aside. I buttoned up the hive and will check on them in a week.
The Swarm that I captured last weekend...
This is the first time that I opened the hive since bringing the bees on site. While inspecting the frames I found that the bees are very busy building comb on three frames. Many bees left with the queen sometime between last weekend and today but there were 4 frames of bees left. I did not see any eggs/larva or anything from the previous queen. That frame with the queen cell from from other hive...that is now in this hive. I am hoping that the queen is alive and was not killed by any other other queens. Hopefully this queen will hatch and take over this hive. I will monitor and add brood from the other hive to keep their numbers up.
I have yet to name the hives, still working on a naming scheme.
The hive that swarmed last weekend...
I was inspecting the top hive body and found a queen! Its likely she is a new born, hopefully she will stick around. The bees attitude was pretty good considering they recently swarmed and I had honey supers and a hive body in pieces doing an inspection. After finding the queen I searched through a few more frames and found one frame with a queen cell that was capped! I removed the frame and put it aside. I buttoned up the hive and will check on them in a week.
The Swarm that I captured last weekend...
This is the first time that I opened the hive since bringing the bees on site. While inspecting the frames I found that the bees are very busy building comb on three frames. Many bees left with the queen sometime between last weekend and today but there were 4 frames of bees left. I did not see any eggs/larva or anything from the previous queen. That frame with the queen cell from from other hive...that is now in this hive. I am hoping that the queen is alive and was not killed by any other other queens. Hopefully this queen will hatch and take over this hive. I will monitor and add brood from the other hive to keep their numbers up.
Monday, April 4, 2011
4 April, 7:30am - 2011
Back Yard Bees
Swarm Hive
Replaced the feeder jar with a full one. The bees consumed one and a half cups since 4pm yesterday. I also opened up the entrance reducer. I read on a beek forum that its better to do that than to keep them sealed.
Swarm Hive
Replaced the feeder jar with a full one. The bees consumed one and a half cups since 4pm yesterday. I also opened up the entrance reducer. I read on a beek forum that its better to do that than to keep them sealed.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
3 April, 1:30pm - 2011
I received a phone call to go get a swarm of bees. The bees settled on the establishment's gazebo. It was easy to access fortunately. I gathered up as many bees as possible and took them home. Currently they are in the back yard sealed up and I'm feeding them 1:1 sugar/water. I really appreciate that organization for the call.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
2 April, 11 am -2011
It was 70º, clear skies and no wind at the Back Yard bee hive.
At around 11 am the hive swarmed! I was unable to get to the swarm. Hopefully the bees remaining in the hive will be able to stick around and make some honey.
At around 11 am the hive swarmed! I was unable to get to the swarm. Hopefully the bees remaining in the hive will be able to stick around and make some honey.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
