Monday, July 11, 2016

Hive update - 7/11/16

I've been in the hive a few times since my June 18th posting.


  • The one super left on the hive had a few frames still to build out with comb but the rest were being filled with nectar and honey.  So I added a second super.
    • What I need to do this week is checkerboard the second super and the first, to encourage the bees to build up
  • I checked half the frames in the top deep and they mostly were building a lot of white comb at the top of the frames, which I cleared out.
  • The box is getting very heavy and there was good looking capped honey in there.
  • I didn't get to the bottom deep which is what I need to do next.  I will get down there this week when I checkerboard the supers.
  • I'm curious about a queen and if there are more eggs now than on June 18th.  I think that by now there should be a new queen.
  • The bees do act like there is a queen. There seems to be enough bees but I have definitely seen a reduction of bees coming in with full side pockets.  In the spring, there is a constant number of bees bringing in pollen in various colors. Right now, I don't see them come in with much at all.  That should change as new flowers begin to emerge including the goldenrod that will start blooming soon.
  • I am still feeding the bees and will continue so that they can build up lots of comb that I can hopefully reuse next year and save a lot of time.
I need to begin thinking of winterizing the hive and get some hay into the bee yard for winter insulation...although I hate to think of winter at all during the summer.

I can't wait until I can checkerboard the top deep..but I think that will be a project for next spring when I am hoping I can expand the hive.  And then that new deep will become hive #2...if all goes well.

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