Quick Update

I know it's been like forever, but I'm still around and kicking. Just did a short interview over the weekend about beekeeping and TBHs. Now for the bad news: the colony that I cut out from the church was upended by the April 27th tornado and never recovered. The good news: my house did not get upended like most of my neighbors. Everything around was pretty much totalled and my home did suffer damage, but all was not lost. I may post some pics later, but most of you probably already know what it looked like after the EF4 plowed through Tuscaloosa. I am truly thankful to be able to continue this blog - so bear with me and I'll try to get back at it next spring!

First Spring Inspection for 2011

I looked into the hive a couple weeks ago. Looks good! I'll try to get a report with a vid soon.

Spring Upon Us

My favorite time of the year is just in sight! I can feel the warm sun, see the buds and blooms, smell the earth, hear the sounds of new life. It's a new season. A new start. A busy time for all who care to be. A great time to make the most of this window of opportunity!

The bees from the cutout have been working good. I'll have to check 0n them and see how this cold winter (by Southern standards) has affected them. They're bringing in pollen, so that tells me the queen is stepping up production of a new work force to start this season.

Thank the Lord for Spring!

Looking Good

I did a quick check of the cut-out hive Friday (4th) and here's what I found:

Weather: PC, hot, humid

If you look closely, you can see eggs in the new comb.

On another bar, I observed larvae.

And, finally, I found the queen.


Here's a short video of her.

So for now, things are looking up for this colony.

Inspection of the cut-out hive

Date: May 22, 2010
Weather: Hot. Scattered Clouds.

I got to inspect the hive that I cut out of the wall.

Summary:

• Most of the brood had hatched & the cells backfilled with honey
  
• There was at least one queen cell on a piece of loose brood comb
• No eggs, larvae or new capped cells in the new comb
• I did not physically see a queen
• Bees were calm. They were chewing at the strings & some were tangled in the frayed string.
  

Here's a video of what I found.

My take:

• The hive is probably queenless or either a new (fresh hatched) queen has not started laying yet.
  

I need to keep a close check on this one, so that I can take action if needed.

A First For Me

Last Friday(5-7-2010) & Saturday I tried something for the first time. I removed a beehive from a wall in a church about an hour south of where I live. It took me two days, and help from my wife, my son, and the deacon, but I think it was a success. Now for the amazing part: I got one sting. My wife got one sting. My son got two stings. That's all! This colony was in the wall of a bathroom in a church that was built back in the late 1800s. The bees had been there for several years. The hive was about 4 feet tall, 3 feet wide, and six inches deep. I harvested some honey and was able to keep some to give back to the bees that I moved to one of my top bar hives. As promised, I now have pics and video.

Pics

Vid

Early Spring Update

Bad news. No bees. Hive #1 was full of dead bees. I checked them a month or so ago. What to do? I did get a call from someone wanting me to get a colony from a church building. I told them I would try when the weather warms a little more. I definitely want to keep trying. At least now I will have all my hives the same dimensions. Been busy gardening, hiking and enjoying the outdoors. This is my favorite time of year. I may even get a chance to call up an ol' tom turkey.

If I do get more bees this season, I think this time, I'm gonna leave the bees alone. I will check them and tend to them, but I think I'll lay off the manipulations (splits, divides, queens) until the colonies are well established. I may have stressed #1 too much. Plus, I should have made a fall inspection and maybe fed some sugar. Oh well, still learning.