Inspection and Getting Ready

Beeboy01 · March 01, 2019, 02:18:41 PM

I'm not into introducing unneeded chemicals into the hives so will look for some cold spray that used CO2. I like the idea of spot hitting the SHB with a shot of cold spray, could of used it with hive #4.
I did a follow up inspection and found that #4 still has a problem. The hive doesn't have the population needed to keep the beetles under complete control in a full 10 frame deep. They only have 3 frames of bees but are trying to build up with brood. I took pity on the hive and swapped it over to hive #5 position which is really starting to grow. The plan is to have a lot of hive 5's field bees boost hive #4 population and slow hive #5 down a little bit at the same time. Swapping brood frames into #4 wouldn't work because of the hive's low numbers.
Did the rearranging in the bee yard this morning with the weather being a little cool and damp. The girls were not very happy with me, got hit 3 times, but now that it's warmed up a little everything looks quite in the yard with both hives showing a lot of activity and no robbing. Think it worked :) I'll follow up with my next inspection this weekend.

Barhopper · March 01, 2019, 06:20:14 PM

All you Florida boys better be checking your hives. I was splitting today and found what I took to be swarm cells in 3. Definitely queens cells on the bottom of the frames. Couple more days and I would?ve been SOL.

Beeboy01 · March 01, 2019, 07:32:59 PM

Swarm cells on the first day of March, wow that's early. Have you spotted any drones and when did you first see them? Just saw two drones flying which is early also.

BeeMaster2 · March 01, 2019, 08:42:40 PM

Quote from: Beeboy01 on March 01, 2019, 07:32:59 PM
Swarm cells on the first day of March, wow that's early. Have you spotted any drones and when did you first see them? Just saw two drones flying which is early also.

I had lots of drones in my hives on February 14.
Jim

Beeboy01 · March 01, 2019, 09:28:30 PM

Sawdustmaker, it looks like my yard is running about two weeks behind yours. I'll be splitting out a couple of nucs and looking for swarm cells in about a week. One of the members of the local club has already caught swarms so the season is upon us. I've been smelling curing honey around my hives during the last week, not sure what's in bloom but have spotted wax myrtle budding out along with oaks.

Barhopper · March 01, 2019, 10:04:10 PM

Lots of drones and drone brood! Got 7 more to split tomorrow. Hopefully they haven?t hit the trees yet.
These bees a a few weeks behind the in town bees.

BeeMaster2 · March 01, 2019, 10:06:24 PM

Beeboy,
Swarm season started here on Sunday.
Jim