I run double deeps. Just did a pre-winter inspection. in the 60's today.
TOP BROOD BOX: (Old frames & old wax)
FRAME
10 - no brood, some bread, some uncapped honey
9 - no brood, a few CB mummies, some uncapped honey
8 - no brood, a few CB mummies, some uncapped honey
7 - no brood, mostly bread & uncapped honey
6 - no brood, all bread + empty superceedure cell
5 - no brood, all bread
4 - no brood, slight bread
3 - no brood, some honey, some bread
2 - no brood, few CB mummies, tad honey
1 - no brood, half honey, half *unknown* (perhaps bread with a white crust??)
BOTTOM BROOD BOX: (new frames)
FRAME
10 - no brood, 80% honey
9 - no brood, half honey, half uncapped honey
8 - 1/4 uncapped brood (some rice grains), few CB mummies, half honey
7 - 1/4 capped brood, Few CB mummies, some uncapped honey, half honey
6 - some uncapped brood, 1/4 honey, several bees with withered wings
5 - some brood, half honey
4 - no brood, mostly honey, some bread
3 - no brood, all honey
2 - no brood, all honey
1 - no brood, all honey
Note - the bread has that wet look.
Note - Green mold showing up again on wooden ware
Seems to me that this is not right. I thought the hives should be filled with plenty of honey, some bread, and a fair amount of brood. I have a SBB and a vented top. There is a hive top feeder though.
Any insight?
How many frames covered in bees per hive?
@ lotsobees,
8 in each hive but not entirely covered. Perhaps 5 to 6 significantly covered frames.
that would be about right for me. close your bottom board up if you have not done so.
That seems to be fairly good imho. If its only 60 degrees, I'd be leery of doing inspections but everyone's diff. :) A decent time to combine those that are the weakest. There shouldn't be too much brood right now but there should be *some*. I'm curious what others might say.
lotsobees, you are down the road from me. you know that you and i would do very few inspections if we waited for temps over 60! ;)
Quote from: kathyp on October 29, 2009, 08:05:51 PM
lotsobees, you are down the road from me. you know that you and i would do very few inspections if we waited for temps over 60! ;)
only if i have too :) and they are real quick yank the inner cover and crack boxes quickly to take a peek.
Quote from: kathyp on October 29, 2009, 08:05:51 PM
lotsobees, you are down the road from me. you know that you and i would do very few inspections if we waited for temps over 60! ;)
i also work from home and can wait for the 10 minutes it hits 60 in early afternoons.
Quote from: Hemlock on October 29, 2009, 07:21:47 PM
I run double deeps. Just did a pre-winter inspection. in the 60's today.
TOP BROOD BOX: (Old frames & old wax)
FRAME
10 - no brood, some bread, some uncapped honey
9 - no brood, a few CB mummies, some uncapped honey
8 - no brood, a few CB mummies, some uncapped honey
7 - no brood, mostly bread & uncapped honey
6 - no brood, all bread + empty superceedure cell
5 - no brood, all bread
4 - no brood, slight bread
3 - no brood, some honey, some bread
2 - no brood, few CB mummies, tad honey
1 - no brood, half honey, half *unknown* (perhaps bread with a white crust??)
BOTTOM BROOD BOX: (new frames)
FRAME
10 - no brood, 80% honey
9 - no brood, half honey, half uncapped honey
8 - 1/4 uncapped brood (some rice grains), few CB mummies, half honey
7 - 1/4 capped brood, Few CB mummies, some uncapped honey, half honey
6 - some uncapped brood, 1/4 honey, several bees with withered wings
5 - some brood, half honey
4 - no brood, mostly honey, some bread
3 - no brood, all honey
2 - no brood, all honey
1 - no brood, all honey
Note - the bread has that wet look.
Note - Green mold showing up again on wooden ware
Seems to me that this is not right. I thought the hives should be filled with plenty of honey, some bread, and a fair amount of brood. I have a SBB and a vented top. There is a hive top feeder though.
Any insight?
The queen starts cutting back on laying eggs in Oct.Starts laying again in end of Dec. Brooding up for spring flow. Hive should be mostly full of bees both boxes. Mostly full of honey yet. Some capped and uncaped brood and some eggs. All will very a month or two depending if your in the north or south or mid.
I'm in central Virginia which is considered a Mid-Atlantic state. I did not think 60 degrees was to cool for an open hive. It beats when it's in the 90's & 100's. I feel as though the hive is shy of both boxes being 'Mostly full'. I'll keep feeding them even though they are taking slowly.
Thanks for the responses. aun Aprendo.