Sunday, August 26, 2012

2012 Summer Status Summary

In my apairy there are currently:

:: Three new nucs (N5,6,7)
:: Three strong hives with healthy queens (H3,4,5)
:: One hive with declining queen (H1)
:: One hive raising a new queen (H6)
:: Eight honey supers

I also recently assembled and painted additional equipment including 5 deeps (to cover pail feeders) and three shallow supers. I will be ordering more deep frames, shallow frames, shallow foundation and wax foundation pins for the fall flow.

Sign at the street says "Local Raw Honey".  =)



Friday, August 17, 2012

2012 Nuc #7

Hive status:  Raising a new queen (I hope)
Hive origin:  New Nuc in August 2012
Queen type: Raised in 2012 from eggs from overwintered Hive #6 (Italian)

Significant events/observations:


8/11/12:  Nuc created from 3 frames from Hive #6 (eggs, brood, food).  Not sure if there were enough eggs, will have to check and perhaps grab a new frame of eggs.

8/25/12:  Nuc still together but no queen cells.  Added eggs from Hive #5.

9/29/12:  Nuc empty and robbed out.  Moved queen and two frames of brood from Hive #4 (robbed out) to this nuc and started newspaper combine with Nuc #5.

2012 Nuc #6

Hive status:  Raising a new queen (I hope)
Hive origin:  New Nuc in August 2012
Queen type: Raised in 2012 from eggs from overwintered Hive #4 (Italian from CA package)

Significant events/observations:


8/11/12:  Nuc created from 3 frames from Hive #4 (eggs, brood, food)

8/25/12:  Nuc died and was robbed out.  Moved frame with approx. 10 queen cells on it from Hive #6 over with bees and brood.  Some of the cells were a tad smushed, so hopefully one healthy queen emerges.  This nuc should have a head start on the N5 and N7, which just received eggs.  Added entrance reducer to prevent robbing.

9/29/12:  Nuc was empty and robbed out.

2012 Nuc #5

Hive status:  Raising a new queen (I hope)
Hive origin:  New Nuc in August 2012
Queen type: Raised in 2012 from eggs from overwintered Hive #4 (Italian from CA package)

Significant events/observations:


8/11/12:  Nuc created from 3 frames from Hive #4 (eggs, brood, food)

8/25/12:  Nuc died and was robbed out.  Moved 2 frames of eggs from Hive #3 and added entrance reducer to prevent robbing.

9/29/12:  Small colony, no queen.  Added queen and two frames of brood from Hive #4 (robbed out) to Nuc #7 and started newspaper combine with this nuc.