Comments Please

[asprince]

I have two hives that I started in April from 3lb packages in new equipment. (deep hive body) I have added a medium to each but they have yet to move up and start drawing the comb. They are healthy except for a SHB now and then. The bottom is drawn and full of bees. I read others post where they are adding super after super to packages hived this year. Are my girls lazy or could I be a better manager?

I opened the top on one of these two hives this afternoon to see if they were drawing the top box. I was just going to look under the inner cover and just look. As soon as I cracked the seal, the hive got loud .....very loud. I then decided to suite up, no smoker since I was just going to look under the cover. When I took the lid off, it was on! They covered me up. One got under my veil and popped me on the cheek under my right eye and one stung me on the chin thru the mesh of my of my veil. I then lit my smoker!! I have NEVER seen any of my bees like this. I bet next time I lite the smoker first even for a quick look. I learned a good lesson the hard way.

I was in this hive two weeks ago and did not see this behaver. Two weeks ago the hive was full of capped brood on five or six frames. Today, there was one little patch on one frame that was about three inches in diameter. No queen cells were seen. I can't understand why she is taking break since they have lots of room to expand and the hive is located in 20+ acres of blooming crape myrtle. 

Comments please on all three paragraphs.

Nursing a swollen face in Georgia, Steve       

[Kirk-o]

Not all hives are created equal some just do better than other.I have had yrars were packages or swarms make a surplus and I'm haveing a year now were they aren't going to make any surplus.No Rain.The thing to do is do what is best for the bees.You might want to read Beekeeping Backwards by Charles
Martin Simmon on Beesource you will find it helpful.One of his Quotes is "it's not about Honey it's not about money It's about Survival" check him out
kirk

[doak]

Welcome to hive inspection during a darth :shock:. It happend to me 2 days ago.
The first time I took two supers from them was during a flo, they were nothing like they were Friday.
I got ate up.
I don't know what  you have blooming, but here it is "darth as Vader"
We should be getting Kudzu and stag horn soon.
Then comes Asters and Golden Rod.

For what it's worth. I "never ever" take the top off with out the vail and smoker. Unless you know for sure you have very gentle bees.
doak

[asprince]

doak, do bees like crape myrtle? This hive is located on a commercial tree farm. There are 20+ acres of all colors blooming. I see a few honey bees and lots of bumble bees. Steve

[doak]

I think they work crape murtle very little.
If you could locate some farmer that has cotton, and if they are not using the bad stuff you might think of that.
doak

[rdy-b]

many say for pollen only no mother load there. here in Cali they plant miles and miles of oleander in the center and along the sides of the highways bright beautiful blooms nada zip nothing no honey frustrating to see that much bloom and know its not producing RDY-B

[mgmoore7]

There is lots of Crape Myrtle in my neighborhood and close to my hives.  Don't see any bees there. 

I asked my state inspector and he said that they ignore it for the most part although they may get some polen from the white crape myrtles. 

[doak]

It still isn't too late to plant Buckwheat, Starts blooming in 3 to 4 weeks. For those who have access to any amount of ground. even 1/4 acre would beat nothing if you are not going to have another natural flo.
It'l bloom till frost/freeze gets it.
doak

[rdy-b]

how much water and what method of irrigation medium to high temps  to bad you cant get starthisle seed :evil:

[bbqbee]

Just a thought... Did you see the queen at all?  Acting a little like they may be queenles and you said hardly any brood, right?
Bill

[asprince]

No, I did not see the queen. I have a difficult time finding the queen when there are soooooo many bees. Since there was some brood, although small amount, she was present a few days ago. There could have been some eggs, but the girls had me so busy that I did not spend a lot of time looking.

doak may be correct, we are going thru a darth. I will check them again next week for eggs, larva, or brood.

Steve       

[Michael Bush]

Make sure they aren't queenless.

Make sure they aren't being harassed by skunks.

If those aren't the problem, then requeen.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesrequeeninghot.htm