Overview
First inspection of the spring. Our one remaining hive going into winter 2019/2020 has overwintered well. It is building up well, with new and old stores available. A 5-deep nuc was split from this hive today.
Photos
None.
Hive 1 – Woodpile
Observations
- About 15 frames total.
- Comb moldy on two frames furthest from the entrance.
- Removed end frame.
- Removed molded comb far side of second frame. Near side was being worked with new capped honey so left it alone.
- Good population – brood frames full of bees/honey frames roughly half full except for the two moldy frames.
- Nectar and pollen coming in at a good rate.
- About 10 brood frames – capped worker, capped drone, uncapped brood young and old, eggs seen on one frame.
- Walking drones seen.
- Queen not found.
- Burr comb on practically every frame.
- About 5 queen cups seen. No open or capped queen cells.
- No sign of small hive beetle or wax moth.
- No mite counts performed.
Frames
About 15 – roughly half brood and half honey.
Actions
- Removed frame furthest from the entrance – comb on both sides was moldy.
- Removed moldy comb from far side of second to last frame. Left it in the hive because it was being worked and had new capped honey on the near side.
- Removed burr comb.
- Removed two brood frames (one with new eggs) for split. Judging from the bees reaction, I expect the queen went with these two frames, but didn’t see her.
- Removed two honey frames – one with uncapped honey, and one with wet capped honey.
Hive 2 – Boathouse Roof
Observations
New split from hive 1.
Frames
- 2 brood from hive 1 – one with new eggs.
- 2 stores from hive 1 – one normal, one wet capped.
- 1 empty (robbed out) drawn white comb from freezer.
Actions
- 5-deep frame split installed today.
Hive 3 – Boathouse Door
Observations
This hive is empty – it has been cleaned and placed onto a level block pad awaiting bees.
Frames
None.
Actions
None.
Plan of Action
- Inspect hives 1 and 2 in 10 days to determine which one has the old laying queen.
- Inspect the other hive in one month to ensure they have brood – if not recombine.
- Set up swarm traps in hopes of repopulating hive 3.
- Replace oil in SHB/wax moth traps with diatomaceous earth.