2013 Hive 5 (formerly 2013 Nuc 1)

Hive status:  New nuc 2013
Hive origin:  Nuc formed from 1 frame of 2013 Hive 1 and 2 frames from 2013 Hive 2
Queen type:  New from 2013 (superceded swarm queen from 2012)

5/19/13:  Created this nuc when I found what I think was 2 queens in the same hive (2013 Hive 1) which is doing very poorly.  The larger queen which apparently has deformed wings was moved to this nuc to be able to monitor her laying and potentially replace her.  I also placed 2 frames containing eggs and bees in this nuc from 2013 Hive 2 to provide enough bees as well as eggs if the workers would prefer to supersede the current queen.

5/27/13:  Queen present, spotted about half a dozen eggs total.  Tiny nuc.  One egg was being raised into a queen, maybe day 6 or so?  Added more eggs from H2.

6/2/13:  Queen removed.  The queen was small and had wing deformities in addition to laying almost no eggs.  Practiced handling a live queen with her prior to squashing.  Single queen cell present, 3/4 of the way to capped, so they were superseding her already.  Not sure if this cell is still viable or not (did not seem much further along from 5/27/13 inspection), so added a frame of brood with eggs from H2. The frame of eggs and larvae from 5/27/13 probably no longer viable.  They look undeveloped with no new capping.  Must have gotten chilled when nights were in the low 40s and there were not enough bees.

6/10/13:  Still a small nuc.  3 capped queen cells, 1 full size and 2 that seemed desperate.

6/15/13:  Still small, queen cell open, queen not seen and no eggs.  Perhaps on mating flight?  Same as Nuc 2.

6/28/13:  Spotted the queen and she is laying.  There was 1 frame of eggs/larvae, good dense pattern where she has laid.  The nuc has achieved medium size, not yet ready to move to a deep, but perhaps soon.

7/5/13:  Large nuc, ready to move to a deep, eggs and queen spotted.

7/23/13:  Queen spotted, not laying.  No queens were laying at this time.

8/3/13:  Eggs spotted.  Could probably add another deep in a week.

8/10/13:  Full of bees, low on food.  Added 2 deeps of honey/pollen I had set aside.  Eggs.

8/17/13:  Eggs and lots of young brood present, some nectar.  Added a second deep with two frames of honey in it.  This hive is growing and ready for a population boost for the fall flow.

8/25/13:  Eggs spotted, ok on food and space.

9/11/13:  Some deeps undrawn (problem frames?), but otherwise full.  Unsure if I should super or not.  Saw 4 day old larvae, almost eggs, did not inspect many frames and was satisfied queen is laying.

9/28/13:  Very little larvae, eggs on two frames only.  Not drawing comb but have some honey, nectar.  Not filling their 2 deeps, candidate for combine (with nuc?)

12/22/13: 5 Frames of bees in the upper deep.  Saw queen and 1 egg.  Moved some lower frames with honey up to the upper deep.