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  • From: Phil DeGuzman <phil.deguzman AT gmail.com>
  • To: "ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org" <ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [ocba] Newbee confusion
  • Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2012 22:41:06 -0400

OK, so I went to bee school in January, built equipment in and read book
February and March, then came April 18 an install time. 2 hives w 3-lb
package. I have been feeding 1:1 syrup about 1/2 gallon every other day up
until last week.

With all the preparation I thought I was ready to go, but as it turns out, I
am quite nelly about inspecting my hives. I don't want to disrupt their work
and for another I am not really sure what to inspect for. So I haven't done
much inspecting...until today.

I opened up one hive and it had a fair amount of what appears to be stored
syrup in the super...some capped, some not. I guess I can stop feeding them
for a while? When I cracked off the super and pryed up a couple frames from
the hive body, I noticed some of what appeared to be capped brood, but a lot
of the syrup too. So I am not sure if I over fed them and they filled the
cells with syrup leaving not much space for egg laying. Thoughts?

In hive #2, same heavily laden syrup but there were these columns of wax that
seemed to be connecting from the super down to the hive body. Swarm cells
perhaps? When I investigated the frames in the hive bottom, I didn't see any
sign of brood. Just lots of syrup. Admittedly I am not a keen eye when it
comes to identifying workers, queen, drones ... Remember, I am still a bit
nelly about working in the hives. So should I be concerned about a swarm?
Should I requeen...is that even possible now? I have read that maybe I can
swap some frames with capped brood from hive #1 and the bees in #2 might
raise a queen on their own ( but I am not sure I could identify capped worker
cells versus capped drone). Or should I leave the bees to their own devices?

Happy to read any thoughts or suggestions. And if there is anyone with some
experience who is interested in some consulting, I live off of Old Greensboro
Highway and would love to have someone show me the ropes. Books and pictures
in Bee school wasmone thing, but a big buzzing hive is another thing
altogether!

Thanks!
Phil


  • [ocba] Newbee confusion, Phil DeGuzman, 06/24/2012

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