Carried out an inspection of all four hives. No 1 which had produced both swarm had no eggs or larvae. Couldn't find a queen but hatched empty queen cell seen. Wondering if the virgin made it back from a mating flight? The bees were quiet and tolerant and still bringing in stores.
No 2 hive also devoid of eggs or larvae but similarly docile. Could be another lost queen or just slow? I will give them a week then decide whether to requeen or unite with a queened hive for winter.
No 3 (prime swarm) has drawn good comb and has BIAS with good pattern and queen busily laying.
No 4 (cast swarm) busy drawing comb. Two quarts of syrup has been consumed and the bees are filling cells with syrup so having been kickstarted the feeder taken off. No sign of the queen yet but I will give her a couple of weeks then decide what to do with this little colony. I also reduced the entrance as a few wasps are hanging about.
Had a delivery of plywood and timber so I started building spare 14 x 12 brood boxes. Planning to create two spare brood and then as many supers as the sheet of ply can provide.
Retirement - what retirement?
No 2 hive also devoid of eggs or larvae but similarly docile. Could be another lost queen or just slow? I will give them a week then decide whether to requeen or unite with a queened hive for winter.
No 3 (prime swarm) has drawn good comb and has BIAS with good pattern and queen busily laying.
No 4 (cast swarm) busy drawing comb. Two quarts of syrup has been consumed and the bees are filling cells with syrup so having been kickstarted the feeder taken off. No sign of the queen yet but I will give her a couple of weeks then decide what to do with this little colony. I also reduced the entrance as a few wasps are hanging about.
Had a delivery of plywood and timber so I started building spare 14 x 12 brood boxes. Planning to create two spare brood and then as many supers as the sheet of ply can provide.
Retirement - what retirement?
