No 1 hive chalkbrood seems to be abating as no mummies on the landing board this week. A few on the hive floor so I lifted the brood box off and cleaned it so I can better assess matters next week. Plenty of bias with drone cells in evidence. also stores. Bees laden with Yellow, Red and Orange Pollen wandering about inside.
The bees are starting to draw out comb in the super.
No 2 hive heaving with bees. The top super is almost full and the bees are starting to draw comb in the second super. Frame 4 had two queen cells one either side of the frame in the middle of the frame. One empty, the other almost ready to be sealed with a healthy looking larva. Frame 6 had four queen cells along the bottom edge, one with jelly in it.
I had a spare base, brood box, crownboard and roof standing by so I relocated the old brood box to a new position to the side of the original site and placed the spare hive on the original position. I found the queen on frame 7 so I transferred that frame into the spare hive along with a frame of stores and a frame of brood then put a frame of foundation at either side and a dummy board which I will move outwards as the bees draw the foundation out. The original box on the new position I broke down all but one of the queen cells leaving one with a juicy larva. I pushed the frames together and filled out at the ends with foundation.
Hive 3 had a couple of play cups, plenty of bias and stores. The super had a lot of bees in it but little attempt at comb drawing. bias and stores ok
Hive 4 still weak. I saw the queen but she doesn't seem to be cutting the mustard. When the opportunity arises I will probably replace her with a new sister from her mother in hive 2. In the meantime I moved the hive another step forward to get sunshine earlier in the morning.
All the varroa boards were removed and taken for inspection. Only a couple of varroa mites were to be found on the board from hive 3 and all others were clear
The bees are starting to draw out comb in the super.
No 2 hive heaving with bees. The top super is almost full and the bees are starting to draw comb in the second super. Frame 4 had two queen cells one either side of the frame in the middle of the frame. One empty, the other almost ready to be sealed with a healthy looking larva. Frame 6 had four queen cells along the bottom edge, one with jelly in it.
I had a spare base, brood box, crownboard and roof standing by so I relocated the old brood box to a new position to the side of the original site and placed the spare hive on the original position. I found the queen on frame 7 so I transferred that frame into the spare hive along with a frame of stores and a frame of brood then put a frame of foundation at either side and a dummy board which I will move outwards as the bees draw the foundation out. The original box on the new position I broke down all but one of the queen cells leaving one with a juicy larva. I pushed the frames together and filled out at the ends with foundation.
Hive 3 had a couple of play cups, plenty of bias and stores. The super had a lot of bees in it but little attempt at comb drawing. bias and stores ok
Hive 4 still weak. I saw the queen but she doesn't seem to be cutting the mustard. When the opportunity arises I will probably replace her with a new sister from her mother in hive 2. In the meantime I moved the hive another step forward to get sunshine earlier in the morning.
All the varroa boards were removed and taken for inspection. Only a couple of varroa mites were to be found on the board from hive 3 and all others were clear
