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. 

August 20, 2020 hive check

 I wanted to check the hive mostly to see evidence of a queen and saw capped brood and I think some open in the upper deep.

I never made it down to the bottom deep. There were lots of bees everywhere in both deeps.

The super was still being worked on in terms of building comb.  I didn't have ten frames with comb so they had work to do on some empty frames...consequently there wasn't much honey there at all.  I do hope they can fill at least a few frames in the next month so I get some honey for myself. It looks like they will have enough in the upper deep for themselves.

I think I will make up some sugar water to help them build comb faster.

Things seem good.

I've decided to help insulate this winter using baled straw that I can then use in the garden in the spring.  

Mid august 2020

 It looks like I have missed blogging for over a month.  I pulled off the varroa treatment after a few weeks and then added a super shortly thereafter.  I haven't been in to check to see how they are doing in filling a super. I will take a look in a few days.

I did do another varroa check last week by putting back in the bottom board under the screen.  I left it in a few days and then looked and saw no mites on the board.  My plan is to do this every few weeks.

Otherwise I've left the girls alone to do their thing...but it's time for me to take a good look around and see what's going on. Things appear to be normal with lots of bees coming and going so fingers crossed things are good inside.

July 11 hive check - add varroa treatment

I just added this Oxilic acid and glycerin treatment to my hive.  https://www.honeybeesuite.com/oxalic-acid-and-glycerin-for-varroa-mites/

I simplified just a tiny bit.  Instead of getting two flat pans, one to soak the towel in and then the other to remove some liquid from the towels, I just shoved the towel into the mixing cup I used for the oxilic acid and glycerin.  Then I just squeezed out the excess into the same cup. I can't see how that would change the result but I'm no scientist either.

I put the towel on the bottom deep and will just leave it there until the season is over if there's any towel left at that time.

Meanwhile I checked for a queen and saw brood, capped and uncapped and lots of bees.  The upper deep is moving right along and filling up with honey for the bees.  I'll wait a few more weeks and then add a super, hoping to get some honey for me this year.

The bottom board was a mess so I cleaned it all up.  Next week I will do a mite check and count how many I see on there and begin to keep count on a weekly basis.

Beginning to nest

NOTE: This post is 3 years old but never published so doing that now to keep posts in one place and none in draft mode.

I feel myself beginning to look at recipes.  I'm ready to cook and spent my weekend doing just that. I had a pumpkin that, now that Halloween was over, cook it up.  So I cut it into pieces that fit on 3 pans in the oven and baked them until soft.  Then scooped out the pumpkin, blended it and I was ready to go. I made pumpkin spice soup, pumpkin rolls, and pumpkin ravioli.

Real cold is coming this week where the nights will be below freezing.  I will be insulating my hives this coming weekend. I did add the cedar pillows to the top which helps some but, especially, the small hive, will need the insulation.

I have seen no bear so far this season.  I see signs he's been around with logs clawed to shreds with them looking for grubs or whatever. But  no damage to the greenhouse or bee fence...keeping my fingers crossed.

june 25th hive check - all look good

Checked all the frames in both deeps and things look just right.  The top deep is loaded with mostly uncapped nectar with at least one frame all capped. They sure are busy in this top deep.

Then I checked the bottom deep.  It is loaded with bees and brood in various stages.  There were some cells at the bottom of one frame which I removed.  Otherwise, it just looked right.

Both green frames are in the process of building out the comb with just a few drone cells that were ready to hatch so I removed those.  And yes, I saw mites in there.

For the next hive check, I will be checking more for mites and add the oxilic acid soaked cloths to both top and lower deeps.

Added second deep 6/10/20

I did add a second deep this week since it was getting more crowded in there.  I also opened up the entrance to the 3 inch opening and took the plugs out of the two deeps above for even more ventilation.

What I really like this year is that I have pink clover, which the bees love, growing up all around the front of the hive.  It was growing all around the entrance but bees still found their way in and sort of gave them a landing spot while waiting to enter the hive.  However, I cut it back just a little and make it even easier to get in and out. I want the clover to go to seed there and anywhere it is on my lawn and yard so that it multiplies. I'll try to get a shot.

Clover growing up front of hive.