medication

I gave Hive #2 some Fumigilin today in 1/2 gallon of 2:1 syrup.  It will need another dose when this is gone.

No meds in Hive #1 since they have supers on

No meds in Hive #3 since I had a mason jar filled with 1:1 syrup already and didn't want to disturb this hive until it's fully blended with the Nuc, which I did just yesterday.

I have pain everywhere today due to the  number of bee stings yesterday!

I had to put back into Hive #1 the empty super frames this morning and also needed to get some equipment from the area to wash it.  When I opened up Hive #1 to just add the frames, they swarmed me!  Oh man, they didn't like to be disturbed by me again!  Not in two consecutive days.

Only one sting on the wrist. But, I'm over getting stung.. I need to remember that, at this time of year, they don't want anyone taking their honey.  So they're very protective....hence the stings.  I've gone all season with no stings until yesterday.

I'll leave the bees alone now for a few weeks...so we can all recover.

Finally going to extract some honey!

Today I was able to take 5 or 6 frames out of the supers on Hive 1.  I have a few more but they aren't fully capped yet so will leave them for a bit longer.

Then I decided to merge Hive 3 and the Nuc.  If I don't, neither will last the winter.  As it is, I'll most likely need to feed them throughout the winter because I don't think there will be enough stores.

That Hive 3 is vicious! Somehow the bees broke into my suit and I started getting stung on the head...if I collapse, you'll know why.  Also a few stings around the ankles because the elastics holding suit in place around my legs lifted up in all the commotion and they found my ankles.  Also one on the wrist.

But now they are merged and hope they relax.

I was so worn out that I didn't even open Hive 2.  I'll save that for another day.

Hive check 9/4/17

What an adventure!

Eight days ago, in my hive inspection, Hive #2 appeared to be queenless.  I saw a lot of uncapped honey and pollen coming in, but I saw no brood at all. I had decided to wait a week and if still queenless, I would merge Hive 2 and Hive 3 since Hive 3 is going strong with what appears to be a energetic queen.

However, today, when I opened Hive #2, I saw an entirely different scenario.  I had many many frames with capped brood.  I saw open cells with brood in various stages of development.  I saw capped honey in the upper corners. So plan B is to leave them both alone!

Later on, when I'm ready to wrap them for the winter, I will put Hive 3 on top of Hive 2, separately so that hive #3 can catch the warmth of the hive below...and hopefully winter them over.

At some point I'll need to merge the Nuc into somewhere.  It only has 3 frames full right now.

Then I went into Hive #1 to find many frames nearly capped.  But only two were completely capped over.  I'm hoping that in another few weeks,  they will all be capped and I'll actually get some honey.  I was beginning to doubt that I would since it's so late in the season.  I think I've over manipulated the hives this year, trying to expand.

It does look like I'll get a decent enough harvest, although a little late.