Mean, mean bees today

It's been almost 3 weeks since I did my last hive check so I went in there this morning and have multiple stings, even through my PPE.  My intent was to go into each deep and see what's going on with capped brood and if there's a queen...and do a bit of cleanup of comb and scrape off propolis as needed.

However, as I was emptying the super of a few frames to make it lighter, assuming there was something in there, I was swarmed and stung multiple times and chased away.  But I went back to at least close things up, put on a top hive feeder in preparation and added the entrance reducer but with larger opening.  I figured I'd add the mouse guard tomorrow when it's raining and they will be less likely to swarm me.  I won't be trying that anytime soon although I should.  But I don't like the bees at this time of year when they get mean!

I moved one of the empty hives into a spot that I hope will help protect the (hopefully) one working hive from winds over the winter.  I will move the other empty hive, the one that's tipped in the image above, a bit away from the working hive so that I have better access to all sides of the hive.

My intent, if I could without taking anything away from the bees, was to take a few frames from the top deep...but I doubt I'll do that now unless I lose the hive. But until then, the honey will be for them.  I still have enough for at least another season but there will be no selling or gift giving until I have more.

I barely saw any mites on the bottom board. I did the oxalic acid/glycerin treatment earlier in the summer but because I was late doing it, I was late putting the supers on.  

Next year, I'll do the oxalic acid varroa mite treatment much sooner, in May, so supers can go on by mid June.