Checking the hives – May 5 (posted on May 22nd)
Note: I have gotten behind on writting posts recently and am inserting this Report from May 5th on May 23rd.
It has now been about one month since I installed our two 3 pound packages of bees in their hives. At the two week mark I was seeing a lot of drawn comb, nectar and/or sugar syrup (since we had feeders on, it’s hard to tell the difference), stored pollen, eggs, and larvae. I was also seeing more bees and drawn comb in hive #1, than in hive #2. (hive #2 has had difficulties). At the one month mark I’m seeing all of the above, plus capped brood (pupae). During today’s inspection of the hive I observed five frames containing larvae or capped brood or a combination of the two. This hive is progressing very well and will soon be ready for another brood box. In fact, it is doing so well that on a couple of occasions I have removed frames containing eggs and larvae and placed those frames in hive #2, to boost this hive which has experienced queen problems.
I have discovered that hive #2 is queenless and I am in the process of obtaining another queen for the hive. In the meantime I have moved two frames containing capped brood and larvae from hive #1 to hive #2 to maintain the population of hive #2.
A special thanks to Jim Coss of The Honey & Bee Connection, who provided the package bees and hives for this series of posts!
Most of the photos are by my friend Mary Carney who is donating her time and camera skills for pictures in this and future posts.