Mite count zero ...

Ben Framed · December 17, 2019, 07:15:40 PM

Let me add to my previous questions. Did you see any of the above questions in any of your other hives concerning drones?

.

van from Arkansas · December 17, 2019, 08:50:09 PM

Cool, Sunny and 63F, your killing me with envy. I am glad for you. Next thing you will be posting of pollen coming in, January no doubt at the latest. Best to you Californians and also Floridans with your early bloom. Please post pics of flowers, I adore seeing the flowers. Makes my day warm even if there is snow in the ground.
Blessings

Ben Framed · December 17, 2019, 09:28:24 PM

Quote from: van from Arkansas on December 17, 2019, 08:50:09 PM
Cool, Sunny and 63F, your killing me with envy. I am glad for you. Next thing you will be posting of pollen coming in, January no doubt at the latest. Best to you Californians and also Floridans with your early bloom. Please post pics of flowers, I adore seeing the flowers. Makes my day warm even if there is snow in the ground.
Blessings

Chilly here tonight Mr Van

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CoolBees · December 18, 2019, 02:04:49 PM

Quote from: Ben Framed on December 17, 2019, 07:15:40 PM
Let me add to my previous questions. Did you see any of the above questions in any of your other hives concerning drones?

Phillip - I did not observe drone cells in this hive. However, I did note a small patch of capped drone cells in H2 during its inspection - I damaged several when removing a frame. So yes, there are a few drones being raised right now.

Also note - I haven't seen any hatched drones in of the hives in a month or 2.

Worth noting: it only drops below freezing here about once every 3 years or so - and only during the night usually for a day or 2. My hives have a brood nest year-round, which definitely impacts the high mite counts that's I've dealt with. My bees have "flying weather" - I'd guess about 340+ days per year. Maybe even 360 days.

CoolBees · December 18, 2019, 02:15:40 PM

Quote from: van from Arkansas on December 17, 2019, 08:50:09 PM
Cool, Sunny and 63F, your killing me with envy. I am glad for you. Next thing you will be posting of pollen coming in, January no doubt at the latest. Best to you Californians and also Floridans with your early bloom. Please post pics of flowers, I adore seeing the flowers. Makes my day warm even if there is snow in the ground.
Blessings

Sorry Mr Van.

There is quite a bit of pollen coming in right now, both yellow (from some low growing weeds/thistle cousins that grow everywhere here), and an off-white pollen (I'm assuming this might be from the nearby Eucalyptus stands).

Pollen seems to be the primary crop I have here. Many bees were bring it in while I was inspecting. When I inspected H4 (same day, but not mentioned here), I was trying to down-size it from 5 boxes - I found around 20 frames packed solid with pollen (bee bread?), so I only managed to get H4 down to 4 boxes. My bees bring in pollen year round basically. What I'm more limited on is nectar sources. I mite bee in the pollen business and just not know it yet.

I'll post some pictures for you when I get a chance.

CoolBees · December 18, 2019, 02:35:11 PM

Oh, and for the record, ... some of you guys have nectar flows that are "out of this world" good! I'd love to have the honey production levels that you achieve! ... each area has its uniqueness I guess

Ben Framed · December 20, 2019, 03:47:32 AM

(H7 - was weird - 100% of the bees were jammed into the bottom box (5 medium frames), even though there were stores in the upper boxes. In the 4 frames that I inspected, I counted over 20 fully capped QC's! ... and brood in all stages. To my limited experience, it looked like they were getting ready to swarm - not that they have enough bees to to so, and the weather would kill them. Anyways, I reduced them to 2 boxes, and moved 1 brood frame up 1 box. ... we shall see.)

Alan could it be that the reason the bees 🐝 were rammed full in the bottom box is because that is where they choose, for what ever reason, to place these beautiful queen cells? And this being winter, all bunched together to assure they would be kept warm enough to hatch? Is this beyond possibility?
Phillip

CoolBees · December 20, 2019, 01:30:48 PM

Quote from: Ben Framed on December 20, 2019, 03:47:32 AM

Alan could it be that the reason the bees 🐝 were rammed full in the bottom box is because that is where they choose, for what ever reason, to place these beautiful queen cells? And this being winter, all bunched together to assure they would be kept warm enough to hatch? Is this beyond possibility?
Phillip

Phillip, yes this thought did cross my mind as the only logical explanation for what I observed. (Not that I have a high percentage of correct answers in beeking yet

).

If that is indeed the correct answer: the the question becomes, "Why are they trying to raise queens in this weather/time of year, with a Laying queen that is 5 months old?".

Ben Framed · December 20, 2019, 01:40:47 PM

Quote from: CoolBees on December 20, 2019, 01:30:48 PM
Quote from: Ben Framed on December 20, 2019, 03:47:32 AM

Alan could it be that the reason the bees 🐝 were rammed full in the bottom box is because that is where they choose, for what ever reason, to place these beautiful queen cells? And this being winter, all bunched together to assure they would be kept warm enough to hatch? Is this beyond possibility?
Phillip

Phillip, yes this thought did cross my mind as the only logical explanation for what I observed. (Not that I have a high percentage of correct answers in beeking yet ).

If that is indeed the correct answer: the the question becomes, "Why are they trying to raise queens in this weather/time of year, with a Laying queen that is 5 months old?".

I have a theory that I have been keeping close to my vest Alan and have been building up to that theoretical answer. Please entertain and bare with me.

CoolBees · December 20, 2019, 07:46:59 PM

The confusion regarding H7's QC'S has been solved. The hive is queenless. When I inspected previously, there was still open brood. I did not bother to check for eggs, as I was in a hurry, and assumed they were there.

I took advantage of a warm weather break to re-inspect the hive today. All brood has been capped - there is no more open brood or eggs.

I split out 1 frame of QC's, and added Nurse Bees from H2 (which is very strong), to create an additional Nuc. My thoughts are: H2 can stand the loss, H7 is either going to make it or not, might as well take the opportunity to see if I can get mated queens in Dec.

I had 1 of the kids take some pics this time. Here are some of the QC'S.

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Ben Framed · December 20, 2019, 08:05:19 PM

Awesome Allen, the queen cells that I see are at the bottom of the combs indicating swarm or supersedure cells. Now the mystery browdens. You know for sure that you had a laying queen at least two weeks ago or you would not have these beautiful queen cells. Where is she? Did she swarm leaving the hive? She is five month old was she intended to be superseded by the choice of the bees? If so, will the new champion virgin mate this late as you also asked? Just before the winter solstice? One more question, was the queen marked? Please keep us advised for the rest of the story. I very much appreciate you sharing this Alan,
Phillip

Ben Framed · December 20, 2019, 11:31:50 PM

Quote from: Ben Framed on December 20, 2019, 08:05:19 PM
Awesome Allen, the queen cells that I see are at the bottom of the combs indicating swarm or supersedure cells. Now the mystery browdens. You know for sure that you had a laying queen at least two weeks ago or you would not have these beautiful queen cells. Where is she? Did she swarm leaving the hive? She is five month old was she intended to be superseded by the choice of the bees? If so, will the new champion virgin mate this late as you also asked? Just before the winter solstice? One more question, was the queen marked? Please keep us advised for the rest of the story. I very much appreciate you sharing this Alan,
Phillip

I just went back and looked at the picture once more. I tried to enlarge the pictures. From what I can tell, it looks like many capped drone bullet type topped cells on the first two frames. The third, was more questionable as the angle and clarity of the picture. If that is the case then maybe the drone cells are an indication the queen only wanted to lay unfertilized drone eggs in conjunction to the only queen cells for whatever reason? Or maybe drones are all the bees were interested in feeding at the present time beside the queen cells, the nurse bees may have very well removed all worker eggs and larva concentrating of raising drones and queens. I know this is reaching but is it beyond the realm of possibilities?
Phillip

CoolBees · December 21, 2019, 12:38:46 AM

Phillip, this hive had very few drones. Maybe 50 total. The cells are mostly capped worker brood.

This pic has some drones, as well as 2 qc's that at "embedded" into the face of the comb - never seen that before.

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Most of the empty cells are being filled with nectar - thus the light refraction.

The hive may have swarmed. I don't know. The queen was not marked. I don't bother marking queens. This hive definitely had a queen 7 to 12 days ago. There were qc's all over the comb.

Many unanswered questions. ...

CoolBees · December 21, 2019, 12:40:56 AM

... duplicate post. Sorry.