It has been two weeks since my last hive inspection and boy have the ladies been busy. They had drawn 16 of the 20 frames in both hive boxes. I was grateful that my local mentor assisted me in this inspection because it was the first time opening the hive since I added the second hive box with 8 blank frames and 2 frames of brood. I couldn’t remember the order in which you inspect two hive boxes. At any rate, the first thing my mentor noticed was that it looked like much of the honey was made from the sugar syrup I have been feeding them. Some days they have taken a quart morning and night! She was concerned that they may become “bound” which may lead to swarming so…….no more sugar syrup for them! I fed them one more jar of syrup that evening and removed it the following morning. I was a bit nervous about removing the jar and hive box then lowering the telescoping lid for fear of crushing the many bees hovering around the opening as if “waiting” for a new jar of syrup. Now, I know that the bees truly were not waiting for me to replace the jar. Perhaps I have become attached to the connection with the bees when “feeding” them twice a day! Once I stopped feeding them sugar syrup, there is no real need to go to the hive and I miss that. At any rate, they continue to be very busy coming and going with definite purpose, their legs packed with a variety of shades of yellow.
Regarding the inspection…. I have not actually seen the queen in 4 weeks but there continue to be an abundance of eggs along with capped and uncapped brood therefore, I know she is there somewhere. During the next hive inspection, I will had a honey super for them to work. I will need to do some research regarding the use of a queen excluder as well as checking the bees for any health issues.
beemusement 