Over the winter my 3 hives each died. I did a post-mortum on two so far. The first had lots of uncapped honey in other parts of the colony. The bees that were in the top box were head-first into the cells so I think they starved. I'm not sure why there was so much uncapped honey. I did not notice any obvious signs of disease. The second colony had some empty queen cells so I think it there was a problem with the queen and the colony died. I have not yet examined the third colony.
I picked up a package of bees from Spicer Bees on 4/23. I removed the empty queen cage a couple of days later--weather permitting.
I picked up a package of bees from Sparky's Honey & Maple on 4/28. On 5/3 I took queen cages out of the hive and saw eggs on a frame. I did not search for the queen. When I was putting the queen cage into the colony on the 28th I saw another queen lose in the hive. I put her into another queen cage and put both into the hive. I'm glad there were 2 because the first queen in the cage looked underdeveloped.
I am still waiting for my 3rd package from Royal Bees and Honey. Weather permitting I will look for the queen in the first hive or at least checking for eggs.
Thursday, May 4, 2017
Friday, September 9, 2016
Inspections
The main hive has a laying queen. I only saw about 2 frames of brood, eggs and larvae, but at least she has started. The other boxes have some nectar and pollen, but overall the hive is light. I will probably add a couple of frames of brood pulled from the first split to boost the population.
The first split is doing well and filling boxes. About 4 or 5 frames of brood, larvae and eggs in the bottom box. 3 or 4 frames in the middle box. Honey and pollen on the sides and in the top box. Not quite full but getting there. I will probably pull a couple of frames of honey to add to the second split to help it fill out stores for the winter.
The second split is doing reasonably well building population, but is still behind the first split. About 4 frames of brood in the bottom box and 3 in the middle box. The top box is only about half full. Some more frame manipulation should even up the 2 splits and boost the main hive.
I'm not sure I will get much of anything from the main hive. I think next time I will try to pull a few frames of capped honey and see if I can reduce the number of boxes to 3. I think this hive may have too much space right now, but there seemed to be lots of open nectar in various spots in the hive. I did see the queen in the main hive. She has many frames of drawn comb to choose from, but maybe not enough nurse bees(?) I did not see the queen in either split although they are clearly queen-right.
I'll check back in another week and see if I can balance the hives more.
The first split is doing well and filling boxes. About 4 or 5 frames of brood, larvae and eggs in the bottom box. 3 or 4 frames in the middle box. Honey and pollen on the sides and in the top box. Not quite full but getting there. I will probably pull a couple of frames of honey to add to the second split to help it fill out stores for the winter.
The second split is doing reasonably well building population, but is still behind the first split. About 4 frames of brood in the bottom box and 3 in the middle box. The top box is only about half full. Some more frame manipulation should even up the 2 splits and boost the main hive.
I'm not sure I will get much of anything from the main hive. I think next time I will try to pull a few frames of capped honey and see if I can reduce the number of boxes to 3. I think this hive may have too much space right now, but there seemed to be lots of open nectar in various spots in the hive. I did see the queen in the main hive. She has many frames of drawn comb to choose from, but maybe not enough nurse bees(?) I did not see the queen in either split although they are clearly queen-right.
I'll check back in another week and see if I can balance the hives more.
Sunday, August 28, 2016
Good News, Bad News
The second split has 3 frames of brood/eggs in the bottom box and 4 frames in the top box. I added another box on top and pulled 2 frames of honey out of the second box to put into the top box. It has 8 frames of foundation and lots of room. I put another jar of syrup on top to keep the hive drawing comb and expanding into the space available. I also put the IPM board under the screened bottom board to reduce the airflow as the temperatures start to cool.
The first split has 5 frames of brood/eggs in the bottom box and 4 frames in the middle box. The top box is about half full of honey/nectar, and they are drawing comb on the remaining foundation. The IPM board is already in place on this hive, and I think that's why it has more brood in the bottom box. I did not see the queens in either split, but the brood patterns are nice, and the second hive had a crowd out front last evening. I think the crowd was drones being excluded from the hive, and I saw fewer drones in the hive this time. I may pull some frames of stores from this hive to give to the second split to balance out these 2 colonies next time I do an inspection.
Now the bad news: the main hive was the source of the swarm. There are no eggs, larvae, or capped brood. There is some honey/nectar, but mostly empty space and lots of bees. The good news here is that I saw the queen in the top box, upper right corner. Not sure why she is there instead of lower down, but as far as I can tell she is not laying yet. According to what I have read, it will take a minimum of 8 days, but more likely 2-3 weeks for her to start laying so all I can do right now is keep my fingers crossed. At least she is in there, and the bees are not crazy aggressive like they were last time. I don't know if I will get a harvest if they don't fill in the boxes soon.
At least they are going into winter with 3 new queens.
The first split has 5 frames of brood/eggs in the bottom box and 4 frames in the middle box. The top box is about half full of honey/nectar, and they are drawing comb on the remaining foundation. The IPM board is already in place on this hive, and I think that's why it has more brood in the bottom box. I did not see the queens in either split, but the brood patterns are nice, and the second hive had a crowd out front last evening. I think the crowd was drones being excluded from the hive, and I saw fewer drones in the hive this time. I may pull some frames of stores from this hive to give to the second split to balance out these 2 colonies next time I do an inspection.
Now the bad news: the main hive was the source of the swarm. There are no eggs, larvae, or capped brood. There is some honey/nectar, but mostly empty space and lots of bees. The good news here is that I saw the queen in the top box, upper right corner. Not sure why she is there instead of lower down, but as far as I can tell she is not laying yet. According to what I have read, it will take a minimum of 8 days, but more likely 2-3 weeks for her to start laying so all I can do right now is keep my fingers crossed. At least she is in there, and the bees are not crazy aggressive like they were last time. I don't know if I will get a harvest if they don't fill in the boxes soon.
At least they are going into winter with 3 new queens.
Friday, August 19, 2016
Run, run fast!
On Wednesday, August 17, I tried to do a thorough inspection of my hives.
I started with the first split. I found that there are 5 frames of eggs and brood in the bottom box and 3 frames in the middle box. The top box is about half full of nectar/honey so there is still room to expand. I have been feeding the split 1:1 syrup to try to have 3 full boxes going into the winter so I will continue feeding. They are taking a jar (2 lbs water and 2 pounds sugar) every other day. I saw the queen, and the brood pattern is good.
I then moved to the second split. Again I found that there are 5 frames of eggs and brood in the bottom box and 3 frames in the second box. I did not see the queen. The brood pattern is not quite as nice as the first hive, and there are more drones. The second box is not yet full so I have not added a third box yet. This hive is also taking syrup, just a little slower. Not quite as strong as the first split, but I expect to add a third box in another week so I think this split will be ready for winter.
Lastly I opened up the main hive all the way to the bottom box. I have not done that since the last time I pulled frames for the second split. There were a lot of bees, but they were cranky! I saw some drone brood and at least three supersedure cells in the first 5 frames in the bottom box. I could hear some odd noises as well. After being stung 4 times while looking at the first 5 frames, I decided to run away far and fast. Too much pain for this inspection. I put the boxes back together and had to use a lot of smoke just to keep from being stung again. I looked it up on YouTube to verify that the noises I was hearing correspond to a virgin queen announcing herself. I listened later the next day and could hear at least 3 queens piping and quacking. The noises were simultaneous and seemed to come from different parts of the hive. I listened again this morning, and the piping had stopped. The evidence suggests that the queens have fought it out, and they are down to one queen. The hive is no longer roaring loudly so hopefully they will settle down to making honey until the new queen starts laying. I don't know why they superseded the old queen. I thought she was great, but that eliminates any ideas I had about requeening that hive. Larry had said he was able to control mites by breaking the brood cycle and requeening every other year, and I was debating the wisdom of that, but the hive has made that decision for me. The weather is good so she should be able to fly for mating. I am still not feeding that hive since I hope to harvest some honey, but we'll see how things are going in a week or so.
With all new queens I should be set for overwintering these 3 hives. I have been cleaning up old equipment so in the spring I can try the split technique again and try to optimize the populations. I think I need to experiment and observe more to better manage the bees. My hands-off method certainly has not paid off so I might as well try a new approach.
I started with the first split. I found that there are 5 frames of eggs and brood in the bottom box and 3 frames in the middle box. The top box is about half full of nectar/honey so there is still room to expand. I have been feeding the split 1:1 syrup to try to have 3 full boxes going into the winter so I will continue feeding. They are taking a jar (2 lbs water and 2 pounds sugar) every other day. I saw the queen, and the brood pattern is good.
I then moved to the second split. Again I found that there are 5 frames of eggs and brood in the bottom box and 3 frames in the second box. I did not see the queen. The brood pattern is not quite as nice as the first hive, and there are more drones. The second box is not yet full so I have not added a third box yet. This hive is also taking syrup, just a little slower. Not quite as strong as the first split, but I expect to add a third box in another week so I think this split will be ready for winter.
Lastly I opened up the main hive all the way to the bottom box. I have not done that since the last time I pulled frames for the second split. There were a lot of bees, but they were cranky! I saw some drone brood and at least three supersedure cells in the first 5 frames in the bottom box. I could hear some odd noises as well. After being stung 4 times while looking at the first 5 frames, I decided to run away far and fast. Too much pain for this inspection. I put the boxes back together and had to use a lot of smoke just to keep from being stung again. I looked it up on YouTube to verify that the noises I was hearing correspond to a virgin queen announcing herself. I listened later the next day and could hear at least 3 queens piping and quacking. The noises were simultaneous and seemed to come from different parts of the hive. I listened again this morning, and the piping had stopped. The evidence suggests that the queens have fought it out, and they are down to one queen. The hive is no longer roaring loudly so hopefully they will settle down to making honey until the new queen starts laying. I don't know why they superseded the old queen. I thought she was great, but that eliminates any ideas I had about requeening that hive. Larry had said he was able to control mites by breaking the brood cycle and requeening every other year, and I was debating the wisdom of that, but the hive has made that decision for me. The weather is good so she should be able to fly for mating. I am still not feeding that hive since I hope to harvest some honey, but we'll see how things are going in a week or so.
With all new queens I should be set for overwintering these 3 hives. I have been cleaning up old equipment so in the spring I can try the split technique again and try to optimize the populations. I think I need to experiment and observe more to better manage the bees. My hands-off method certainly has not paid off so I might as well try a new approach.
Thursday, August 4, 2016
Quick check yesterday
I looked into the hives yesterday, but only the top one or 2 boxes.
In the first split I found the queen and saw frames for capped brood, eggs and larvae. I have kind of a checkerboard pattern of foundation and drawn comb so there is still room in the hive to expand. There are 3 boxes for the colony, but I'm going to feed this hive until it is more filled out.
In the second split I did not see the queen, but I did find frames of capped brood, eggs and larvae also. It also has not filled its space so I'm feeding it as well. I had let the feeding lapse for a couple of weeks in the hopes that these would grow on their own, but the weather has been so dry I think the dearth slowed them down.
I looked into the main hive, but only the top 2 boxes. The top box is a honey super that I am hoping they will fill, but so far that has not happened. I moved one frame of foundation down and a frame of honey up into the super when I looked into the next box down (3rd from the bottom). That box has frames of brood, eggs and larvae also so the queen is in there somewhere. I did not see any queen cells, just one empty queen cup on the bottom so I think the hive is doing OK. I need to do a more thorough inspection and maybe make a nuc for overwintering. I should set up a schedule for inspections and making of nucs for the fall so I don't get behind and get caught by the weather. I did catch a drone and practiced painting a spot on its back. It was easy, and the drone flew off after, but I need to do more than one to gain some confidence.
In the first split I found the queen and saw frames for capped brood, eggs and larvae. I have kind of a checkerboard pattern of foundation and drawn comb so there is still room in the hive to expand. There are 3 boxes for the colony, but I'm going to feed this hive until it is more filled out.
In the second split I did not see the queen, but I did find frames of capped brood, eggs and larvae also. It also has not filled its space so I'm feeding it as well. I had let the feeding lapse for a couple of weeks in the hopes that these would grow on their own, but the weather has been so dry I think the dearth slowed them down.
I looked into the main hive, but only the top 2 boxes. The top box is a honey super that I am hoping they will fill, but so far that has not happened. I moved one frame of foundation down and a frame of honey up into the super when I looked into the next box down (3rd from the bottom). That box has frames of brood, eggs and larvae also so the queen is in there somewhere. I did not see any queen cells, just one empty queen cup on the bottom so I think the hive is doing OK. I need to do a more thorough inspection and maybe make a nuc for overwintering. I should set up a schedule for inspections and making of nucs for the fall so I don't get behind and get caught by the weather. I did catch a drone and practiced painting a spot on its back. It was easy, and the drone flew off after, but I need to do more than one to gain some confidence.
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Queen #3
I opened up the second split to check the feeding jar and found it to be empty. I pulled it out and decided to look into the second box to see if the new queen that I think is in there has started laying. I found eggs, larvae and capped brood, but I started to worry that I was looking at the frame I put in there last week so I kept looking. I found the new queen! I think she is laying and the bees have been busy filling frames with nectar so I decided to add in the last 3 frames of foundation in the second box and put the feeding jar in an empty third box. I have finished off the last of the honey extracted from the dead-out while refilling the feeding jar so they are now getting 1:1 syrup. I will probably keep feeding this hive until they stop taking syrup. I want them to build into 3 boxes before the fall.
The first split has 3 boxes now, and I'll check it to see how they are doing with honey and pollen at the end of the week.
The main hive has 4 boxes so I will hopefully be able to harvest a box of frames for our use. I will check that hive at the end of the week. If they are still building queen cells and have enough brood frames I may start a nuc for overwintering. It would be great to have 3 hives and a nuc going into the winter.
The first split has 3 boxes now, and I'll check it to see how they are doing with honey and pollen at the end of the week.
The main hive has 4 boxes so I will hopefully be able to harvest a box of frames for our use. I will check that hive at the end of the week. If they are still building queen cells and have enough brood frames I may start a nuc for overwintering. It would be great to have 3 hives and a nuc going into the winter.
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Checking in again
The first split is doing well. I did not look in the bottom box, but there were eggs there last time I checked so I expect there are frames of brood there now. There are 2 frames of eggs/brood in the second box even though there are only 7 frames and the feeder jar in the second box. They emptied the feeder so I refilled the jar and will continue feeding them until they draw out more comb in the second box.
The second split still has some capped worker and drone brood from the original queen, but there is also evidence of at least one queen hatching and killing off the other queen cells. The workers are cleaning and preparing cells, but no eggs yet. From what I have read, it will probably be another week or so before there are eggs from the new queen. I put in one more frame of eggs, larvae and capped brood from the main hive so if something has happened to the new queen the workers can use the eggs to start up another queen. Probably not necessary, but I'm hedging my bets. There are still 7 frames in the second box with the jar feeder of honey. They finished off the last jar so I'm feeding them more. The honey from the dead-out is almost gone.
I opened up the main hive which is packed with bees. I did not dig around in the bottom box. It appeared to be full of bees and provisions. There was one frame with eggs, larvae and brood in the second box that I pulled and put into the second split. It had the beginnings of a swarm cell. That might be more useful to the second split. I think there were 6 frames of brood in the second box. There were 2 frames of brood in the third box, along with the queen. The queen was on a frame of honey against the side of the box. I'm guessing she was trying to avoid me and moved there to hide. I think she may be reducing her laying as we come into the dearth. The top box is still undrawn foundation. I tried rearranging things by putting a few frames with honey from the third box into the top box and swapping them for foundation from the top box. I am hoping that making space in the third box and putting honey in the top box will encourage the bees to fill up the super and not swarm.
I'll give it a week and then check again. With luck the first split will be ready for another box, the second split will have eggs and larvae, and the main hive will be filling the super.
The second split still has some capped worker and drone brood from the original queen, but there is also evidence of at least one queen hatching and killing off the other queen cells. The workers are cleaning and preparing cells, but no eggs yet. From what I have read, it will probably be another week or so before there are eggs from the new queen. I put in one more frame of eggs, larvae and capped brood from the main hive so if something has happened to the new queen the workers can use the eggs to start up another queen. Probably not necessary, but I'm hedging my bets. There are still 7 frames in the second box with the jar feeder of honey. They finished off the last jar so I'm feeding them more. The honey from the dead-out is almost gone.
I opened up the main hive which is packed with bees. I did not dig around in the bottom box. It appeared to be full of bees and provisions. There was one frame with eggs, larvae and brood in the second box that I pulled and put into the second split. It had the beginnings of a swarm cell. That might be more useful to the second split. I think there were 6 frames of brood in the second box. There were 2 frames of brood in the third box, along with the queen. The queen was on a frame of honey against the side of the box. I'm guessing she was trying to avoid me and moved there to hide. I think she may be reducing her laying as we come into the dearth. The top box is still undrawn foundation. I tried rearranging things by putting a few frames with honey from the third box into the top box and swapping them for foundation from the top box. I am hoping that making space in the third box and putting honey in the top box will encourage the bees to fill up the super and not swarm.
I'll give it a week and then check again. With luck the first split will be ready for another box, the second split will have eggs and larvae, and the main hive will be filling the super.
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