long time no bees

[randydrivesabus]

but i finally have had an opportunity to open the hives and see whats going on. just 2 hives.

so hive #1 looks completely dead. i'd say something happened to the queen and the hive has been robbed clean. not surprised. it looked to be going that way when i last had time to look back in july sometime. so i will just get a new package w/queen in the spring. they will have drawn out foundation to start.

and hive #2 is very full of bees and is looking good. but back in july i put a medium super on looking for some honey to steal for myself. but all i put in was the top bars from a standard frames with the wedge piece glued on vertically as a starter strip. the bees didnt see it this way and have built what can only be described as a mountain of comb in the medium super. of course it is resting on the top bars of the frames of the super below. so i didnt do anything about it thinking that in early spring they would have consumed any stored honey from there and i can remove it then.

comments and thoughts on this? it would be no problem to remove...well maybe from a bee's point of view it would be.

and the best way to store the dead hive boxes and frames until spring (2 deeps)?

[Brian D. Bray]

>>the best way to store the dead hive boxes and frames until spring (2 deeps)?

If you only have 2 deeps and the honey has been robbed out I wouldstack them with door/window screen on the bottom and top of the boxes to keep out wax moths and ants.  If there is evidence of wax moth damage then freeze the frames first for a few days.

As for the other hive I would correct the problem by cutting out the mountain of comb in the middle supper and leave the upper super on--this should still give you 2 boxes for wintering. The honey can be harvested  by the crush & strain method.

[randydrivesabus]

thanks brian....the hive is 2 deeps with a medium on top...its in the top medium that the mountain has grown. but your idea sounds good and i will get some honey that way. then i'll just remove the medium for the winter.

i am so glad that i didnt just start out with one hive.