Partly cloudy, slight breeze and about 90º at the Back Yard bee hive.
Backyard Bees
There were a lot of bees out on the landing area this morning, I didn't know why until a little later after I finished looking through the hive.
The top honey super has two fully capped frames that can be harvested. The rest are being filled. There are also a lot of bees in this top honey super.
Bottom honey super has three fully capped frames that can be harvested and the rest are being capped.
Top hive body - the frames are full of bees, I removed the ninth frame and found eggs. larva and capped brood. This frame also had a lot of honey around the brood area and the other side was all honey filled cells, capped.
While going through the honey supers and hive bodies I noticed an unusual amount of bees in the air. They were not aggressive but there were a lot flying. So I put everything back together. About an hour later I looked out the window to check on the bees and saw a large gathering of bees at the back of the top honey super. I thought that maybe I had misplaced my queen. I suited up and checked things out. I found a large cluster of bees in a ball shape and thousands more all around on the top honey super. So picked up the ball of bees and moved bees around to see if there was a queen. And there was! I still thought she was my queen so I put her at the front hive entrance and immediately bees balled up on her! And it was then that I noticed the difference in color of the bees. My bees are a very light colored bee, the bees that were on the back of the hive are a darker color with dark bands. Its kind of hard to see these things some times because of the bee veil. But once I saw that color difference and the behavior I got the queen out of there. I put her in a queen cage and sealed it. I then put her in a five frame nuc and I began to try and collect the swarm bees. I am hoping the swarm bees will go to their queen and leave my hive alone. So far the swarm bees are still trying to get into the hive. It rained pretty hard so hopefully that will slow down what appears to be an assault.
Its 4 pm, I took a look in the nuc to see if any bees decided to take care of the queen. And there were 5 or so that were on the queen cage and they appeared to be feeding her. I noticed on the inside back of the nuc a small cluster of bees. I found another queen! So now I am really wondering what is going on here. I put that queen in a queen cage and now have both queens tucked into the middle area of the nuc. There are about 40 or so bees crawling around the queens. Both queens appear to be injured and may be rejected.
Now I need to really look through my hive to find the queen or at least see what damage was done by this assault.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
27 August, 2010 - 10:30am
Alpha Hive
The bees have continued to fill the bottom honey super. Three frames are capped and ready for harvest. The rest of the super frames are being heavily worked. I didn't look through the hive bodies at this time.
Beta Hive
The hive is slowing building up numbers. I checked three frames in the top hive body and the bottom hive body. These frames had fresh eggs, larva and capped brood throughout.
Swarm Hive
I didn't look at the hive today. I cleaned up the grass around the hive and put down insecticide to deal with the ants. This was also done to the other two hives.
The bees have continued to fill the bottom honey super. Three frames are capped and ready for harvest. The rest of the super frames are being heavily worked. I didn't look through the hive bodies at this time.
Beta Hive
The hive is slowing building up numbers. I checked three frames in the top hive body and the bottom hive body. These frames had fresh eggs, larva and capped brood throughout.
Swarm Hive
I didn't look at the hive today. I cleaned up the grass around the hive and put down insecticide to deal with the ants. This was also done to the other two hives.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
31 July, 2010 - 9 am
I extracted the honey this morning. There is a little over 30 pounds! I'll let it settle some and then bottle it. I will return the honey super to the Alpha hive today.
30 July, 2010 - 10:30 am
It was 95º at the Bee Yard, clear skies and light winds.
Swarm Hive
The bees are busy storing nectar in the honey super. They have stopped drawing comb on frames 10 and 1 but they cover frames 2 thru 9. Frames 5 and 6 are 1/3 capped, so it look like they are capping frames!
I looked at frames 1 thru 4 of the top hive body. Frame 1 is honey and pollen only. Frame 2 has some eggs/larva but its most of the cells have food. Frames 3 and 4 have eggs, larva and capped cells, most of these frames are brood frames, not much honey except at upper edges of frame. I stopped at frame 4 because I found so many eggs.
Beta Hive
The bees are not doing much in the honey super. There are not many bees in the super. When I removed the honey super a moth flew out of the hive body. Looked through all frames of the top hive body. Frame 1 had extensive wax moth damage, and there were bees all over it cleaning it and cutting out the damage. I went ahead and removed and replaced it. There were no other damaged, infested frames in the top hive body. Although I did not see a queen I did see eggs on 3 frames. The bottom hive body also had extensive wax moth damage on frame 1 and that was removed and replaced. I looked through all frames on the bottom hive and did not find any other pest damage. I saw some eggs scattered throughout the frames but not as much as I thought I should. There are also a lot less bees in the hive compared to what I noticed in the last inspection.
Alpha hive
The bottom honey super was ready to remove! The top honey super has some bees and the bees aren't storing food in that one. I did not inspect the bees I only removed the honey super
Swarm Hive
The bees are busy storing nectar in the honey super. They have stopped drawing comb on frames 10 and 1 but they cover frames 2 thru 9. Frames 5 and 6 are 1/3 capped, so it look like they are capping frames!
I looked at frames 1 thru 4 of the top hive body. Frame 1 is honey and pollen only. Frame 2 has some eggs/larva but its most of the cells have food. Frames 3 and 4 have eggs, larva and capped cells, most of these frames are brood frames, not much honey except at upper edges of frame. I stopped at frame 4 because I found so many eggs.
Beta Hive
The bees are not doing much in the honey super. There are not many bees in the super. When I removed the honey super a moth flew out of the hive body. Looked through all frames of the top hive body. Frame 1 had extensive wax moth damage, and there were bees all over it cleaning it and cutting out the damage. I went ahead and removed and replaced it. There were no other damaged, infested frames in the top hive body. Although I did not see a queen I did see eggs on 3 frames. The bottom hive body also had extensive wax moth damage on frame 1 and that was removed and replaced. I looked through all frames on the bottom hive and did not find any other pest damage. I saw some eggs scattered throughout the frames but not as much as I thought I should. There are also a lot less bees in the hive compared to what I noticed in the last inspection.
Alpha hive
The bottom honey super was ready to remove! The top honey super has some bees and the bees aren't storing food in that one. I did not inspect the bees I only removed the honey super
Friday, July 23, 2010
23 July, 2010 - 12 pm
Backyard Bees
The bees have been storing honey in both honey supers. The top honey super has a lot of bees in it and they are storing honey throughout the frames. The bottom honey super has four full frames of honey and they are starting to cap. The remaining frames are being drawn out and filled with honey. I looked through four frames of the top hive body. Frame one has more drawn comb and some eggs and honey. Frame two has more drawn comb and a lot of eggs on both sides. Frames three and four are filled with capped brood, and empty cells have eggs.
Alpha Hive
There were not any ants on the hive or the hive stand.
There are about 60 bees on the front porch cleaning and milling around. The top honey super had a few hundred bees. They are storing honey in there but not focused on this super. Bottom super has 6 capped frames. There are two frames that are full of honey and are being capped. The remaining two frames have some drawn comb and some stored honey.
Beta Hive
There were no ants on the hive or in the hive or on the hive stand. Top honey super had very few bees. Most of the bees are in the top hive body and bottom hive body. I started looking through the frames of the top hive body. I found the queen on frame three! and she was laying eggs!!!! I found eggs on frame one and two. After I found the queen I stopped removing frames. I did notice that two of the frames that were installed last week that were foundation, now have drawn comb! The hive is on the rebound.
Swarm Hive
I was unable to inspect the hive today. I spilled insecticide on my gloves while pouring it around the hive stand for this hive.
The bees have been storing honey in both honey supers. The top honey super has a lot of bees in it and they are storing honey throughout the frames. The bottom honey super has four full frames of honey and they are starting to cap. The remaining frames are being drawn out and filled with honey. I looked through four frames of the top hive body. Frame one has more drawn comb and some eggs and honey. Frame two has more drawn comb and a lot of eggs on both sides. Frames three and four are filled with capped brood, and empty cells have eggs.
Alpha Hive
There were not any ants on the hive or the hive stand.
There are about 60 bees on the front porch cleaning and milling around. The top honey super had a few hundred bees. They are storing honey in there but not focused on this super. Bottom super has 6 capped frames. There are two frames that are full of honey and are being capped. The remaining two frames have some drawn comb and some stored honey.
Beta Hive
There were no ants on the hive or in the hive or on the hive stand. Top honey super had very few bees. Most of the bees are in the top hive body and bottom hive body. I started looking through the frames of the top hive body. I found the queen on frame three! and she was laying eggs!!!! I found eggs on frame one and two. After I found the queen I stopped removing frames. I did notice that two of the frames that were installed last week that were foundation, now have drawn comb! The hive is on the rebound.
Swarm Hive
I was unable to inspect the hive today. I spilled insecticide on my gloves while pouring it around the hive stand for this hive.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
17 July, 2010 - 11 am
It was 83º at the Back Yard Bees. Partly sunny with showers.
Backyard Bees.
I removed the entrance reducer. I am hoping this will help with improved ventilation.
I looked inside the top honey super and there are hundreds of bees in there. The bottom honey super also has hundreds and hundreds of bees. They are focused on the three inner frames since they are full of honey.
I looked at a couple of frames in the top hive body and stopped as soon as I found eggs. Frame one has only one side being worked. They are building comb and storing food on this frame. Frame two is where I found one whole side filled with eggs. The other side is being used for food storage.
I put everything back together, I will check on them in a week.
Backyard Bees.
I removed the entrance reducer. I am hoping this will help with improved ventilation.
I looked inside the top honey super and there are hundreds of bees in there. The bottom honey super also has hundreds and hundreds of bees. They are focused on the three inner frames since they are full of honey.
I looked at a couple of frames in the top hive body and stopped as soon as I found eggs. Frame one has only one side being worked. They are building comb and storing food on this frame. Frame two is where I found one whole side filled with eggs. The other side is being used for food storage.
I put everything back together, I will check on them in a week.
Friday, July 16, 2010
16 July, 2010 - 11 am
It was 85º, partly sunny and slightly windy at the Bee yard.
Swarm hive
The bees are hard at work in the honey super. All frames have about one third comb drawn and there is curing nectar in the cells. I didn't do a hive inspection today, that will be done next Friday.
Beta Hive
The hive had ants crawling all over the top honey supers. I removed the supers and found thousands of ants all throughout the two honey supers. So I did what I could to clean them up, and set them aside. I looked through both hive bodies. I found capped honey and uncapped honey on six of ten frames. The remaining frames had pollen and some capped brood. Both hive bodies were like that, so I removed every other frame and replaced with foundation frames. I am hoping this will bring this hive back. I did find eggs and larva of various stages, but not many due to the lack of laying space. I am hoping that I don't have a laying worker. I put all of the hive bodies back together, and only put one honey super on the hive. There was just not enough bees to deal with the ants.
Alpha Hive
I did not get a chance to look at the hive today. I will look in on them this weekend.
Backyard Bees
I did not inspect them today. I did put a honey super on the hive. This particular super has drawn comb. At this time the backyard bees have two honey supers. They look like they need the room. I will inspect them this weekend.
Swarm hive
The bees are hard at work in the honey super. All frames have about one third comb drawn and there is curing nectar in the cells. I didn't do a hive inspection today, that will be done next Friday.
Beta Hive
The hive had ants crawling all over the top honey supers. I removed the supers and found thousands of ants all throughout the two honey supers. So I did what I could to clean them up, and set them aside. I looked through both hive bodies. I found capped honey and uncapped honey on six of ten frames. The remaining frames had pollen and some capped brood. Both hive bodies were like that, so I removed every other frame and replaced with foundation frames. I am hoping this will bring this hive back. I did find eggs and larva of various stages, but not many due to the lack of laying space. I am hoping that I don't have a laying worker. I put all of the hive bodies back together, and only put one honey super on the hive. There was just not enough bees to deal with the ants.
Alpha Hive
I did not get a chance to look at the hive today. I will look in on them this weekend.
Backyard Bees
I did not inspect them today. I did put a honey super on the hive. This particular super has drawn comb. At this time the backyard bees have two honey supers. They look like they need the room. I will inspect them this weekend.
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