Hive Inspection today and Sugar Shake

[DayValleyDahlias]

Well, I took off the excluder between the 2 deeps, sugared both chambers with PS...bees tolerated it pretty darn good...I only took 5 hits on my thighs ( was wearing yoga pants, silly me )...and that was before I did anything...the brood box was full of bees and lots of capped brood...I did not see any eggs or larvae at this time...I did not see any drone larva...a small amount of capped drone, not much...no signs of queen cells, but I couldn't see queenie.  The upper super deep was very heavy and had a good amount of capped honey, nectar and pollen...

I will leave it be for 10 days or so till I try another mite count...they seemed to enjoy the sugar!

My question:
Is it common to see less larvae this time of year due to dwindling population?  There were still many many workers...

Thanks so much...

My thighs are itchy...dern it!

[JP]

Your bees may be gearing up for winter, hence the queen laying less. Btw, I've heard that bees don't like yoga. :-D

[Kirk-o]

What does Charles Martin Simmon do for mites?
kirko

[DayValleyDahlias]

Charles Martin uses SBB...no powdered sugar...he also allows his bees to die if that is the way it goes...he has many hives, I have one, he also has a job swarm catching and replenishes his stock...I do not...

So I must work to help the bees I have survive...I am trying to tread softly...first...with the PS...I did not want the excluder on the hive...I took that sucker OFF today...

[Kathyp]

i think i know why your mentor put it where he/she did.  ran into a guy at the state fair.  he keeps his brood confined to 1 med and puts an excluder over that with more meds above.  his goal is honey production.  he does not attempt to build up a big hive and if they swarm, they swarm. 

i think the excluders have their place sometimes, but i am into building up as well as getting honey. if one has to be sacrificed, i'd rather it be the honey....at least for one year.

[DayValleyDahlias]

Yes Kathy...my feelings excatly

[DayValleyDahlias]

JP,

My bees are all yoginis...thought they loved doing yoga...hhhmmm ;)

[Michael Bush]

>Charles Martin uses SBB...no powdered sugar...he also allows his bees to die if that is the way it goes...he has many hives, I have one, he also has a job swarm catching and replenishes his stock...I do not...

And foundationless frames.

[DayValleyDahlias]

Yes CSM alos uses bottomless hive as well...