2012 Hive #4

Hive status:  Overwintered from 2011
Hive origin:  Package in 2011
Queen type:  Italian (from CA via Queen Right Colonies)

Significant events/observations:

3/11/12:  The hive had a relatively large brood nest with eggs observed.  This colony has sufficient bees and the most remaining honey and pollen after winter.  It is a candidate for an early split to prevent swarming.

3/14/12:  I removed two frames containing bees, brood, and eggs and placed them in Hive #3 to encourage that hive to raise a new queen during an attempted laying worker fix.  I found the queen on another frame so I am sure she remained in H4.

3/21/12: Reversed deeps and removed entrance reducer.  Added first honey super of the season and removed feeder.

4/15/12: Bees, bees, bees!  This hive looks great, drawing comb, surplus honey and pollen, and no signs of swarming.  Spotted the queen in the upper deep, so I added a queen excluder between the upper deep and the existing super, which she had been laying in.  Once those bees emerge there will only be honey in the supers.  I removed a shallow frame of capped drone comb and placed it in the freezer, which will hopefully help with mite control.  I also added an empty honey super on top of that. Two frames of brood and eggs were moved into H3 just in case the new queen there is AWOL.

5/6/12:  Lots of bees, starting to get crowded.  Added a third honey super.  One uncapped queen cell noted with royal jelly and larvae in it, at risk of swarming.  I did not have time to go through both deeps so I'll have to followup soon and maybe split off some nucs if there are capped queen cells to try to prevent swarming.

5/8/12:  Removed approx 8 queen cups from lower portion of deep frames in the upper deep, 2 of which contained eggs.  The hive is trying to prepare to swarm, but the queen is still laying.  Split off 3 frames of brood/eggs and 1 frame of food to create nuc N2 2012 to provide more space to reduce the urge to swarm.

5/21/12:  Added a fourth honey super as there was no room left in the top (3rd) super.  Went through entire hive and found one queen cell uncapped, maybe 5 or 6 days old.  Removed it to Hive #3 along with a frame of food.

6/5/12:  Spotted queen in upper deep.  No signs of swarming.  Added a 5th honey super and moved the lower super up into the middle of the supers as it had some brood.  One frame of eggs was removed to 2012 Hive #3 which is queenless.

6/28/12:  Replaced four frames of capped honey in one super with frames of wax foundation to give them a bit more space.  Frames of honey went into a super on Hive #6.  Added queen excluder.

7/1/12:  Extracted 3 frames of capped honey.  Returned two supers of drawn comb to the hive after extraction.

7/8/12:  Bringing in honey, not drawing comb.

7/30/12:  3.5 supers of honey, drawing comb - doing great!  Did not inspect deeps.

8/13/12:  Filling lower deep with bee bread, restricting laying space.  Removed 6 deep frames to start Nuc 5 and Nuc 6.  Hopefully new queens will be good and I can requeen hives 1 and 3.

9/29/12: Hive was nearly robbed to death, not sure if it was week first.  All four supers empty.  So sorry I removed so many deeps to other nucs, which all failed.  Lots of dead bees and yellow jackets seen in and around the hive.  Witnessed robbing ongoing.  Queen and tiny amount of brood found on two frames and relocated to Nuc #7 for combining with Nuc 5.  Sealed off hive to protect comb from wax moths.