2012 Hive #6

Hive status:  New nuc in 2012
Hive origin:  Swarm caught by Alan 2012, combined with 2012 Nuc 2.
Queen type:  Swarmed 2012

Significant events/observations:

5/28/12: Originally given this colony by Alan.  I got to keep the colony and return the nuc box to him.  I cleared out the nuc in two stages over the weekend:

1. On 5/27/12 I transferred the 4 frames that were in there into a 10 frame deep, inspected for the queen (did not see her, though eggs were present), and left near the entrance the nuc with one frame-sized comb attached to the wall.  I added a "trap" frame that the queen could move to next to that comb in the nuc in case the queen was still in there and hopefully she'd move to the new frame for easy transfer to the new hive.  I was just scared to crush the queen when trying to cut out that comb!
2.  On 5/28/12 I inspected the deep and found the first new eggs on a frame that wasn't in the nuc, then spotted the queen.  She's a fat one!  Now that I knew the queen was safe in the new hive I smoked all the bees out of the nuc and cut out that comb.  It was half honey, half eggs or early larvae.  I cut up the honey to eat as fresh cut comb honey and am sharing it today with coworkers. 

Now I just need to inspect my other hives and see if a combine is in order or if they have laying queens to let them all lay in separate hives and get populations up higher before combining over the winter.

6/2/12:  Combined with 2012 Nuc 2 which had no laying queen and was in a single deep.  Used a single sheet of newspaper with tiny holes punch in it between the separate colonies each in their own single deep.  Hive #6 was left in place and Nuc 2 placed on top.

6/5/12:  Hives had combined by chewing a hole in the newspaper, I removed the excess paper and saw the live queen.

6/22/12:  Excellent brood pattern noted and nearly honeybound.  Saw eggs so the queen is there.  This hive needs a super!

6/28/12:  Supered with 6 frames with foundation and 4 frames of capped honey from Hive #4 (to give that hive a bit of space).  Added queen exluder beneath lone super.

7/8/12:  Getting honey bound, queen only laying on 1 center frame of upper deep and in the lower deep.  No new comb built on frames of wax foundation in the lone super.  Swapped two deeps of honey with Hive #5 to allow more space for laying.

7/30/12:   Queen cups noted in the upper deep, no eggs present.  Queen is ok based on eggs/young larvae and brood pattern.  Workers are bringing in nectar and building comb in the lone super.  Some sunken caps noted - possible small amount of foulbrood?

8/13/12:  Pulled 3 frames to a new nuc 7.  Added a super of wax foundation.  No sunken caps noted.

8/25/12:  No eggs, no queen spotted.  Capped queen cells present on two frames.  One moved to Nuc #6, other frame with two capped queen cells left to requeen this hive.  No new comb on foundation in super.  With requeen, probably just need to pull that off and move it to a hive that needs it.    

9/29/12:  Brood spotty and chalky or foul brood.  Poor queen, hive health suffering.  Workers are bringing in nectar.