Saturday, May 18, 2013

Off to find a better home

While doing more spring yard work ( the wife's home on weekends) I failed to notice what was going on at the hives and when I checked around noon, I found that the small swarm had vanished.  I guess I made the mistake of not providing enough room for them in the Nuc.  Live and learn.  Although they had been pulling comb on the bars, only 2 bees are left in the hive diligently working, nothing the wiser, guess they didn't get the E-mail.

The bad hive is down to about 20% bee's remaining.  Surprising as it seems, there was some activity from the entrance.  Looking through the observation window, I can see that they have been building comb, about 5 starters in all.  The  larger swarm which I caught has comb down to the bottom board almost, the difference between package and feral I guess.
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Because I don't have observation windows on the second package hive, I don't know what's going on inside of it.  They are very hungry though, as I have given them over a gallon of syrup since last Saturday.  I have new queens coming in June which are Hygienic Carneolans.  Have no idea at this time where they will go.

Still no Oxalic acid in the mail so the treatment hasn't started, better get here fast.  Definitely will treat all my hives as it causes no ill effects, so they say.  Later

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