Huppiary

Remaining colony still alive. Finished refurbishing two hives. Swapped out Hive 3 box with refurbished box. Began refurbishing Hive 3 box.

Single remaining active hive building up slowly. Two hives taken offline for refurbishment.

Summary of town meeting on pesticide regulation in South Carolina held at Oakwood/Windsor Elementary School – Feb 27, 2018. Representatives from Clemson University Extension Service and Department of Pesticide Regulation made presentations about pesticide management regulations, enforcement, and training in the state of South Carolina

A disappointing day. Went in expecting to have to add frames to all three hives. Found very few bees in any of them. Found uncapped brood in only one of them. Shrank the other two hives down considerably. Left the one with uncapped brood as it was.

What bizarre ideas spring forth from my little bee brain! Our hives are all still thriving, judging by the flurry of activity around them on the occasional warm, sunny mid-winter days here in South Carolina. Nevertheless for the past several nights running, my sleep has been broken by nightmares of … More…

A glimmer of hope for the colony we had assumed was queenless, despite the ignorance and arrogance of their keeper.

Today was a heartbreaking day here at Jehovah Jireh Apiary.

Summary of hive inspections at Jehovah Jireh apiary, October 26, 2017. Hive 1 – found several bees with DWV, and several dead, white, nearly emerged pupae on bottom screen. Otherwise okay. Hive 2 – found queen, but she isn’t marked. This hive may have swarmed or superseded. Hive 3 – On its way out. No eggs, no uncapped brood. Very sparse capped brood. Low worker population.

Summary of hive inspections at Jehovah Jireh apiary, October 2, 2017. The bees in all three hives were calm. No sign of any significant infestations. Population in all three hives was sparse. Attribute to early fall foraging, in the middle of a sunny, warm, but not hot day, or possibly due to Autumn draw-down. About 50 dead bees on the bottom screen of Hive 3, but none in death throes like last inspection. All hives seem to be okay in terms of stores. All three hives’ brood clustered at entrance end, with one frame of honey between entrance end wall and brood – textbook behavior per Dr. Leo. No queens seen, but eggs and brood of all ages found in all three hives.

Did hive inspections today on the twelfth day after end of the enforced brood break on Hive 2. All hives are thriving, but Hive 3 had about 50 dead bees in the empty zone to the left of the follower board, and about 10 bees in violent death throes. Looked for all the world like poisoning.