Hi Folks,
My hives are top bars but I'm thinking this isn't top bar specific so I'm posting here hoping I get some advice.
I have two hives both started in the spring (I'm new at this.) First hive has been doing very well while the second hive is struggling. Both hives have been treated with powdered sugar for the past three weeks, once a week for three weeks. This is the first weekend without a treatment for them. I treated because I saw mites and bad wings in the second hive, did not see anything bad in the first hive but I figured better to play it safe and treat both.
Yesterday all looked normal. This morning I opened the window in the first hive and noticed there weren't as many bees as usual, looked up and there they were 50' foot up in a cedar tree. Seems strange to me because we're in a dearth here in Jacksonville, Fl. But I have been feeding them...
I put a swarm trap in the cedar tree. The second and weak hive is only using about 1/4 of the hive (4 feet long) so I drilled new holes in the other end thinking maybe I can get the swarm in it. There is a follower board in the hive separating the areas.
Been a busy morning over here!
So I go into the first hive to pull some comb to bait the swarm trap and new hive with and it's just a whole lot of crazy going on, they've always been runny but I've never seen them like this. Turns out they're trying to get rid of a new bee that I've never seen before. The new comers are very dark and much sleeker than mine. So I have an unexpected swarm and intruders on my hands.
Here are some pictures of the strange new bees, mine are the Italians. Well really Italian mutts.
(http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb63/bobdsimmons/Top%20Bar%20Beehive/Bees%20crazy%20morning%20010_zps56ohrhfr.jpg)
(http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb63/bobdsimmons/Top%20Bar%20Beehive/Bees%20crazy%20morning%20009_zpsdceno04y.jpg)
Any suggestions about what to about the intruders would be appreciated, could they have something to do with the swarm?
Thanks!
Here's a better picture of the bees:
(http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb63/bobdsimmons/Top%20Bar%20Beehive/Bees%20crazy%20morning%20005_zpsrxq6fowu.jpg)
The "intruders" may well be workers from your hive. A queen mates with a variety of drones. The bees in a package are not from the queen that is in that package, they are from other hives altogether.
Bobsim,
What part of town are you in?
What makes you think we are in a dearth here in Jacksonville?
If you are east of I-95, you probably have a good strong flow on. I just brought my hives back into town and I usually get as much honey from this flow as I do from the gallberry at the farm in the spring.
I am hoping to get a whole lot more this year because the gallberry was a flop.
I think your bees are telling you you are in a flow.
Jim