Bee Adventures - Part 9

August 17, 2020

The honey super shows signs of comb bulding, on two frames, of about 3 square inches, in a round surface in the middle. No real building progress.

The bottom super is still extremely full of bees. It’s as if they ballon outwards when I open the hive! The festooning is incredible... I could clearly see larvae, pupa and capped cells on the verge of opening and new bees coming out. The queen is still alive and well! Long live the queen!!

Most frames are full and if no eggs, they are full with bees. Richard said there were a lot flying around while I was going my inspection. I never think of looking up and around, really...

Once I closed the hive, and they settled down. Their entrance was quiet and activity almost stopped. Only a soft hum came from the hive. If I can, I might stretch my inspections to 10 day intervals, as to not disturb them too much. I wonder if that’s too far apart... Would I miss any supercedure cells that are ready to open ? Or swarming cells ..?

I didn’t fill the feeder, as the nectar and pollen is in abundance now. I’ll check it next week, along with the varroa tray. Richard puts a light film of vegetable oil on the tray so if any mites fall off bees while they are cleaning themselves, they get stuck to the oil and they are easier to see. They wouldn't be able to get back on the bees even without the oil : they fall off the bees, pass through the screened bottom, and fall on the tray. They suck the energy out of bees but naure did not give them very long legs nor the ability to jump.

Ugly, aren't they ?