Thursday, April 17, 2014

2014 Hive 3 (new package)

Hive status:  New 3lb package 2014
Hive origin: Package from Waldo Apiaries
Queen type: 2014 Italian (Buckeye Belle were not produced in time)

Significant events/observations:

I picked up this package on April 16, 2014 in Ashley, OH, near Columbus, OH.  Installed by Drew and I on 4/16/14 in the afternoon, 47 degrees and sunny.  Pail feeder placed on top.

4/21/14:  Queen had been released and eggs spotted.  Feeder empty.

5/10/14:  Eggs spotted.  Found one swarm cell, capped, on bottom of a center frame in lower deep.  Split this out with two other frames into a new nuc, 2014 Hive 6, and replaced 3 deep frames.  Removed sugar syrup andentrance reducer.  Added first super.

5/19/14:  Eggs spotted, no signs of swarming, ok on space.

5/25/14:  Eggs spotted.  Rearranged deep frames to encourage wider brood nest.  Removed propolis from upper deep.

5/31/14:  Ok on space with 1 honey super.

6/10/14:  Eggs spotted.  Added second honey super and off-set entrance between upper deep and lowest super.  Drawing out foundation well.

6/22/14:  Eggs spotted, needs a 3rd super soon.  Have the bees cleaning some that will go on this hive.

6/28/14:  Added that third super.  Had some crystals in the comb the bees did not clean up  Will be interesting to see if the bees clear it out first or just put honey in on top of it.  May leave this for bees to overwinter with so it does not cause premature crystallization of extracted honey.

7/15/14:  Spotted 8 day old larvae at dusk, insufficient light to spot eggs.  Lots of queen cups in lowest super.  Removed a mega-frame of honey from this super, leaving only 8 frames.  Room remaining in top (3rd) super.

8/2/14:  Eggs spotted.  Pulled capped honey frame by frame until down to 2 supers on hive.

8/15/14:  Saw 6 day old larvae in bad light.  Added empty super.

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