So, I have had my share of good luck, bad luck, accomplishments and failures this season. Along with some mating nucs that just couldn't make it, most likely due to the fact that I made them extremely weak, they got robbed out. Robbed out and killed or left.
But its been such a rain soaked year, that I have been caught in a downpour more than once trying to inspect and manage. And it didn't take too long for the moths to take over some of those deadouts or absconded mating nucs. I have collected about 12 frames in all and ripped the webbed areas out and stuck them in the freezer. I will keep them in there a couple days.
I even busted a mouse in one making a nest out of fresh grass. It ran off before I could hit it with my tool. I am glad to have all this happen to me my second season in. I am taking it as a very good learning experience. I hope to have a lot more accomplishments this season though.
I had a hive that I left empty a little to long last spring that the wax moths invaded. It must be a second year mistake thing because I'm now in in my third year. :wink: I hope for your sake that the trend doesn't continue because today(year 3) I had to take apart a nuc that was being taken over by small hive beetles. It was not a pretty sight. Too weak, no queen, and too much honey and pollen. That's not a good combination in an area with SHB. You are one up on me with the mouse thing though. :tongue: All I have is roaches between inner cover and top cover. :angry:
I gave a nuc to a neighbor that gave me two deer back in the winter. There was some spilled syrup that was mixed with megabee. After exchanging the frames to his boxes, I did see a couple beetles on the bottom board. And that stuff smells so bad. I won't mix it into syrup ever again. I will dry feed that stuff from now on. I just hope I never find a snake in one.