Hive R: A hot sultry day caused this hive to finally swarm.
The swarm was captured and immediately put into an empty super on top of a queen excluder newspaper. The workers will strengthen this weakened colony and the queen can be removed.
Thursday, July 22, 2004
Saturday, July 17, 2004
17/07/04
Hive L: The brood is building well in preparation for winter. No more honey available for extraction yet.
Hive R: Still building queen cells! This hive is determined to swarm. Perhaps the queen needs to be superseded. One frame of brood and queen cells was moved to hive W and the other queen cells left to allow nature to take its course. Only one frame of honey had been capped.
Hive W: The colony was very weak and, although the queen cell had hatched, she could not be found. Another frame of brood and queen cells was added from Hive R.
Hive R: Still building queen cells! This hive is determined to swarm. Perhaps the queen needs to be superseded. One frame of brood and queen cells was moved to hive W and the other queen cells left to allow nature to take its course. Only one frame of honey had been capped.
Hive W: The colony was very weak and, although the queen cell had hatched, she could not be found. Another frame of brood and queen cells was added from Hive R.
Sunday, July 11, 2004
11/07/04
Hive L: Two supers of cleaned-up frames were added beneath a single super. No more frames were ready for extraction. The brood chamber was not examined.
Hive R: Only one frame was ready for extraction so it was left. It will probably set as it will be oil seed rape nectar. The brood chamber was not examined. The hive has three supers, but they are not very full.
Hive W: The brood chamber was not examined but there was little activity from the top of the single super. The queen cells should have hatched by now so some good weather will be needed for mating.
Hive R: Only one frame was ready for extraction so it was left. It will probably set as it will be oil seed rape nectar. The brood chamber was not examined. The hive has three supers, but they are not very full.
Hive W: The brood chamber was not examined but there was little activity from the top of the single super. The queen cells should have hatched by now so some good weather will be needed for mating.
Wednesday, July 07, 2004
Sunday, July 04, 2004
04/07/04
Hive R: Two supers (14 frames) were removed resulting in 42 lbs (19 kg) of light, rapidly setting, honey (I).
Saturday, July 03, 2004
03/07/04
Hive L: This hive continues to thrive and a good brood pattern has been created.
Ten uncapped (but high viscosity) frames were removed and produced 28 lbs (13 kg) of honey (•••).
Hive R: Queen cells are still being produced and the queen is no longer laying at the same rate. I suspect superseding is about to happen so I have left the queen cells this time, having first taken the frame to Hive W but changed my mind and brought it back.
Hive W: As expected, queen cells have been produced on the new frames. The colony is getting weaker and little honey being produced.
Ten uncapped (but high viscosity) frames were removed and produced 28 lbs (13 kg) of honey (•••).
Hive R: Queen cells are still being produced and the queen is no longer laying at the same rate. I suspect superseding is about to happen so I have left the queen cells this time, having first taken the frame to Hive W but changed my mind and brought it back.
Hive W: As expected, queen cells have been produced on the new frames. The colony is getting weaker and little honey being produced.
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