Hive Three

Hive Three (14×12) – Record Card

26th September 2014

  • All syrup had gone
  • Fed another 5Kg sugar as syrup (total = 20Kg)
  • No plans to continue feeding

12th September 2014

9th September 2014

  • All syrup had gone
  • Fed another 5Kg sugar as syrup (total = 10Kg)

7th September 2014

  • Removed Apiguard
  • Fed colony 5Kg sugar as a Thick Syrup using Jumbo Feeder (green).
Colonies With Jumbo Feeder
Colonies With Jumbo Feeder

23rd August

Added second dose of Apiguard.

2nd Apiguard Treatment
2nd Apiguard Treatment

9th August

  • Manipulated supers, so only one super contained nectar – and placed this below the brood box
  • Added Apiguard
  • Bees moderately aggressive
  • We have to keep records of medical treatments used on bees, see photo below:
Apiguard
Apiguard

4th August

  • No honey to take so put crown board back on top

3rd August

  • Inserted clearer board

15th July 2014

  • Some honey in super – added second super
  • Removed varroa board
  • Counted 30 varroa, over 9 days
  • Varroa calculator says:
    • Average Daily Mite Fall = 3.3 varroa mites
    • Estimated number of adult varroa mites in the colony = 130
    • Treatment is recommended in about 2 month(s) time (counting from day of first monitoring).

6th July 2014

  • 20C, sunny
  • Bees aggressive – pinging off my veil but I carried on
  • Saw eggs and larvae – so there’s a laying queen in there
  • Did not look for Queen
  • Brood box has bees on 7 out of the 11 frames (quieter than hive five that started at the same time with fewer bees and now has bees on 10 frames and has half filled super)
  • Super has no honey
  • Added varroa count board (wondering if varroa is slowing them down)

28th June 2014

  • 20C, sunny
  • Bees aggressive
  • One bee stung me through the hole of the thread on my glove!
  • I backed off

21st June 2014

  • 20C, cloudy
  • Bees calm
  • Saw eggs and larvae
  • Did not find Queen
  • Brood box has bees on 6 out of the 11 frames
  • Removed feeder (empty)
  • Added a super (so now has 1 super)

14th June 2014

  • 21C, sunny
  • Bees calm
  • Saw eggs, larvae, capped brood, Queen
  • Brood box: half foundation drawn out, 6 frames of bees
  • Fed 2Kg thin sugar syrup

7th June 2014

  • 20C, sunny
  • Bees calm
  • Drawn out 4-5 frames – slow at drawing the frames
  • Saw eggs, larvae, Queen
  • Marked Queen (blue) – woo hoo – 2nd Queen marked in the last week!
  • Enough stores in frames

31st May 2014

  • 15C, humid
  • Bees very aggressive
  • Plenty of stores in brood box
  • Saw eggs, larvae and capped brood
  • Did not find Queen – but the bees were too aggressive to start looking for her
  • Which Queen was it I wonder? Probably the one from Pete’s hive on 13th April 2014
  • Note: This Queen was born in April/May 2014

17th May 2014

  • Sunny, 18C
  • No eggs, no Queen
  • I think cold weather of the last 6 weeks has stopped queen mating
  • 4 frames of bees
  • 1/2 frame of stores
  • Placed frame with Queen cell from Hive 2 into this hive. This should hatch before 25th May
  • Plan: Inspect mid June & feed
  • Related post: Bee Inspection: Swarm Cells & No Queens

My Deputy Beekeeper:

Deputy Beekeeper (Dad)
Deputy Beekeeper (Dad)

13-26th April 2014

  • Queen should mate 20 April – 10 May
  • Queen should have hatched out on 18 April
  • Fed 2Kg of sugar, plus observed lots of bees and bringing in pollen

13th April 2014

  • 16C, sunny
  • Took empty brood box and added three frames of house bees with about 5 capped swarm cells from Pete’s hive
  • Added eight other frames some with stores
  • Fed with 2L thin sugar syrup
  • Timescales. Queen will hatch in less than 6 days (19th April) and has up to three weeks to mate and start laying (by 10th May at the latest). Need 16C during this time for mating flights. First new brood hatching by 31st May.  Hopefully plenty of bees for July nectar flow
  • Did not cull any Queen cells as no time and do not expect so few bees to swarm with a new Queen
  • Plan: inspect on about 10th May for eggs
  • Relevant post: Bees For Free
  • Hive Three is the unmarked one in the middle below
Two Hives Plus Nuc
Two Hives Plus Nuc

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