Hive check 10.5.13

I bought 2 packages of Honeybees from Sam Comfort of www.anarchyapiaries.com  on 9.5.13. My hive had swarmed twice and I needed to get them a Queen. Since the numbers were down I got them a package with the Queen.

I did a newspaper combine with the original hive. I have been concerned about it because there was robbing the first two days and I had several dead bees on the tiles under the hive. Although the Queen most likely wasn’t out of the cage then…I was concerned.

Here are a couple frames from that hive. I didn’t think this was a great brood pattern…but glad to see brood.

I was taking pictures and guessing at what I was aiming at…so pleased to see brood and larva.

Here’s a closer look….and there are a couple cells that look as though they have started to cap them. There is one on the R edge ..almost closed up. Look at those cute little future Honeybees!

The other hive was a very nice sized package and I have been pleased with their work. I have a window on the back of the hive and can keep track of their comb building but could not check the cells for brood.

Once I had removed a frame from the second hive I was able to see this nice frame of brood so I didn’t pull it out.

Another closer look..don’t know why they have Drone cells…most hives are evicting them now…but we are in a nice Pepper Bush, Spanish Needle and Skunk Vine bloom and I guess they know what they need.

I could see through the window that one of the combs had a bend in it and I needed to fix it.

I just slide this frame and the next over till I got to it. One of the starter strips had pulled out. It had capped brood in it. Jim brought some string and we tied it into an empty frame and put it back in. No pictures. Jim wasn’t suited up and we didn’t want to take a chance..I got stung 3 times a couple days ago when using the machete to chop some weeds in front of the hive, but I’ve been reading that they get testy at this time of year…especially if they’ve had to deal with “robbers”.

Both hives were very docile…only smoked my hands and arms…didn’t have to smoke the hives.  So maybe Jim was right….he figures I swatted a Honeybee on it’s way back to the hive…I was in their flight path.

They both had room for the Queen to lay…nothing in the supers yet…but with new bees emerging there will be more foragers. I’d like to see the supers full for the winter….then I might not have to feed them. Much rather they were able to take care of themselves….but will if necessary.  I’ve saved 4 quarts of honey that the first hive had stored before they swarmed. Emergency food.