Saturday, July 4, 2015

July 2015 - Large Hives


July 1, 2015
Hive 3 - I opened it up, took off the top feeder, and the next box which was new on June 18th was full of bees on every frame.  Some were fuller than others.  It was very heavy with honey.  The 2nd box down was very full of honey also, and the bottom 2 boxes (a medium and a deep) had brood in them.  I looked a little more into the hive.  It looked great.  I added a scoop of IPM Patties for mites on top of the frames in the bottom box, put all the boxes back on and added another box.  I had been using the box as a swarm lure so it only had 8 of the 10 frames it needed.  It didn't matter though because I needed to put something in there since the hive was so full.

Hive 2 - It was also very full.  Lots of bees and lots of honey.  I added a medium box I had put on Hive 1 last time as I was hopeful they would need it, but it wasn't being used so it moved to Hive 2.  I had put it back together before I realized I hadn't added a scoop of IPM Patties.  I put it on their landing board as they are coming into the hive.  Hopefully that helps until I open it up again.

Hive 1 - Was not as mean as it had been on June 18th.  I was hoping for lots, but I couldn't find any eggs still.  I did notice some mite droppings around the cells, so I added a scoop of IPM Patties.  I hope that makes a difference.

IPM Patties: Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Patties

  • Quality All Natural IPM Option
  • Excellent hygienic behavior in hive
  • Use once every 12 weeks
  • Contains 17 essential oils, vegetable oil, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, and plant polyphenols

I think I will try Albert's method if there are not any eggs the next time I open it up.  They only had about 4 1/2 frames being used in their only box.  http://ecobeebox.blogspot.com/2015/06/chubaks-solution-for-laying-worker-in.html

I took a long hike and saw lots of bees, but 99% of them were only on one white flower - Leafy Jacob's Ladder.  The same flower I saw them on the 18th of June when I looked before.


Jacob’s ladder is a perennial herb that reproduces sexually. Its flowers are visited by a variety of insects and require cross-pollination in order to set fruit. Beetles and flies eat their pollen and butterflies and moths extract nectar, with little or no pollination occurring. Bees are the major group of pollinators and are attracted to the nectar contained in the nectar chamber at the bottom of the flower (hidden beneath the hairs at the bases of the stamens); purple lines at the base of the flower act as nectar guides. On a given plant’s flowers, the anthers mature and produce pollen before the stigmas become receptive, helping to prevent self-pollination.

Jacob's Ladder is all over Timber Lakes!!
July 11, 2015
Hive 3 - They had started on the new medium super I had added, but I think the nectar flow has slowed down.  A lot of the Jacob's Ladder is about done blooming.  I didn't add another super.

Hive 2 - The bees had not started on the new super I added last time.  There were a few bees on the frames, but nothing happening.  I took a finished frame out of the next super down so I could try out the honey.  I brought it home.  I left this hive as is.

Hive 1 - There was brood and larvae in this hive!!!  It is nice to see that something is happening.  There were a lot of bees on about 4 frames, and some on the others.  I assume I will be able to add another super next time I go.


July 24 & 25, 2015
Hive 3 - Friday I got into the hive and added a bee escape board where I thought the honey was on top of the board.  I checked it a half hour later, and the top was FULL of bees.  I had put it on upside down.  I fixed it and went out the next day with Reed helping me and there were still bees in the upper boxes.  Between a blower and brushing them off, we were able to pull off 7 medium frames of honey.  I left 2 medium supers on that were partially full of honey & brood, so it has 4 boxes (3 brood, 1 honey) on it right now.

Hive 2 - Friday I also added a bee escape under the top two supers.  When we got in on Saturday, there were no bees in the top.  It was super easy to take out the frames and check them out to see which ones we were going to take and which ones we needed to let the bees finish.  I ended up taking off 7 frames, but counting the one I took off 2 weeks ago, I got a total of 8 frames of honey.  We ended up leaving 2 supers on the top with assorted frames in the process, so it has 4 total (2 brood, 2 honey)

Hive 1 - Friday when I got in this hive, there were 2 frames that looked like the honey had been stolen, but 4 frames that had eggs, brood, honey, & pollen in them.  I am so confused with this one.  I don't know what to think.  I added a 2nd box on it, and decided I wasn't going to get back in there till fall.  I am quite frustrated with this hive.  It has been weird all year.

I also went down to tractor supply and bought a dog run that was regularly $300 for $233.  We added panels to the bee run so we could actually move around in there.  It is a great size now!!