A few recent pics

Bees between the frames after being smoked. This is in the top box on South Hive 1.

I had the new top feeder on Hive 1 with a gallon of syrup in it and lemongrass oil. I suspected robbing so I made a new entrance reducer to limit the entrance area they had to defend. 

I crushed and strained one frame of honey from the North hive. I stuck the wax in this jar and gave it to the bees to clean. They very efficiently took all the honey and left the wax.

This is why I added the entrance reducer to Hive 1. I don't think those are this hive's bees. They are clustered around the vent holes, where they are smelling sugar syrup and lemongrass oil.

Hive statuses

North hive: Boxes 1-3 are full of brood. Box 4 is full of capped honey. Box 5 was added two weeks ago and as of last Friday (August 17th) they had not started building comb in it yet.

South Hive 1 (from package): Boxes 1 and 2 are full of brood. Box 3 has 6 of 10 frames drawn and queen is laying in the new wax. There are some stores on the tops and edges of frames but nothing significant. I will monitor for the next couple weeks and start feeding heavy syrup if the fall flow doesn't have them putting on the pounds.

South Hive 2 (from swarm): almost identical to South Hive 1 but with slightly fewer bees and more stores.

South Hive 3 (OQP Queen in 6 frame Medium Nuc): 4 of 6 frames are partially drawn and queen is laying. They take syrup very slowly. I will try and make a top feeder for them this weekend if I have time. I am concerned that they will not build up enough stores for the winter.

East Hive (from swarm): First box is finally full. Added second box. Hoping they can build up some stores for winter.

North Hive Inspection

As usual the North hive is doing awesome. The upper (fourth) box of 8-frame mediums was completely packed with honey. I didn't see a single egg or larva, though I didn't take all the frames out. This hive is clearly doing great. Four mediums is what I hoped to over winter in, so I put on a queen excluder and another box. I need to find out if I can take a few frames of honey off and extract to have something for Christmas presents, and if they should get enough for winter out of the fall flow.

East Hive Inspection

I popped over to dad's house Sunday to take a look at the little swarm hive. Dad has been complaining of bald-faced hornets around the hive, so I had to get the different cover on the hive that will allow him to switch out the sugar jar without having to monkey around with too much equipment.

Overall the hive is weak. They have drawn out about 6 frames, which is about what they had two weeks ago, and two weeks before that. The county bee inspector stopped by last week and came to the same conclusion. Therefore, we must feed.

There is still a nice brood pattern, and about 4 solid frames of brood, but just not a lot of volume. Hopefully those four frames of brood will hatch in the next week or so and give the hive a good chance to take advantage of the fall flow and build up before winter.

South Hive Inspection 08-04-2012

Things are looking good at home in Canton. Here's a rundown:

Hive 1 (package) - in upper (3rd) Medium, 6 frames drawn: 4 brood and 2 mostly honey.
Hive 2 (swarm) - in 2nd Medium, all frames drawn: about half and half. Added third box of foundationless frames and new ventilated inner cover.
Nuc - The OQI nuc is looking great, with six medium frames (all) drawn down in the bottom and starting on two in the top box. Hopefully these will get drawn out with the fall flow, which should be starting soon.

We have been getting rain over the last week and things seem to be blooming. I saw some goldenrod in our neighborhood the other day.

Still a good solid pattern in the nuc box

Another frame from the nuc, with most of these emerged

One of the foundationless frames in the package bee hive, just getting started

A foundationless frame from box 2 in the package hive. This is the outside frame in box 2.