Hive Update

Visited both hives today. Heard soft humming by placing my ear to the boxes. Pulled the insulation from beneath the bottom screen and listened to bees. Saw no bees entering or leaving the hives, but I could hear them. It was about 45 degrees F today so I don't think it was warm enough for them to venture out.

I have seen a few stray bees from time to time around the yard.

Placed mouse-guards

over the entrance way of both hives. I just put an extra block of wood down. Will check later to make sure it worked. I looked up into the Cedar Hive. The bees have not attempted to build any comb on the lower top bars. Thus, it looks like the hive is just two boxes, one of brood in the middle, and one of honey in the top. Hopefully, the queen will decide to expand her brood chamber downward next spring so I can harvest some honey.

Both Hives doing well this weekend

Looks like both bee hives are going to hang around this year.  I saw a lot of bees on some buckwheat flowers I planted a few weeks ago.  Hopefully, the bees in both hives will have enough honey stored to overwinter.  I didn't take any from them this year.

Pretty good activity going around both hives in the hot part of the day on Saturday.

Bee Activity

I checked on my bees today. There was little activity at the California Hive. There were still a few bees going and coming with pollen. The last of the flowering for 2014 is here and the pollen in western North Carolina is getting low. Asters and Goldenrod are still in bloom, but they are becoming fewer and fewer in the landscape now as the nights turn colder. It was in the 40s on Saturday night. The Cedar Hive had a lot of bee activity. It looked like a high number of bees were taking orienting flights. The Queen of the Cedar Hive must have hatched some babies. I don't think the bees were disturbed because the pattern of the flights were close to the hive and returning. My observation of bees (which is of a new beekeeper) makes me think that these are the activities of an orientation flight.

Bee Activity is Low Now

The weather is getting cooler. The bee activity at the entrance to both of my hives is drastically down. On a couple days, I wondered if the bees were still resident in the hive bodies. Then, I saw a few bees going and coming with some orange colored pollen. I figure this is the Golden Rod bloom here in North Carolina.

UPDATE: I went out later on after it had warmed up to around 78 degrees and the bees were moving much more. This was in the late morning. Looks like both hives are still strong.

It was in early September or late August when my 2013 hive of bees left their hive body.

Working the Wild Cedar Hive

I added another box to the bottom of the Cedar Hive this afternoon. It was an adventure.

I am using a modified Warre style of beekeeping. This link explains the Warre style of top bar beekeeping.

I suited up with my bee protective veil, and jacket. I had blue jeans on and some boots. I also have some nice goatskin gloves. I decided since the bees were so friendly in the past, I did not need to smoke them this time. Mistake.

When I got out there, everything was hunky-dory. I removed the telescoping roof with no problem. The bees were not agitated at that point. Next, I attempted to remove the quilt.

The Cedar Hive bees had propolized the bottom of the quilt to the top of the top-bars in the upper box. I loosened the propolis on the edges of the box, but I had to tear away the burlap to remove the quilt. This irritated the bees and some of them began defensive activities. I am talking to them. Trying to reassure my bees that I am their friend.

At this point, the top of the hive was open. I did get a good look inside. It looked like about half of the top box had comb on the top bars, particularly toward the east. The western side had some voids, but I felt that it was just a matter of time before the bees filled it.  I decided that I would install the bottom box.

The bottom box (a medium Lang) was equipped with eight top bars and frames that I bought from BeeThinking. I had the box and foundationless frames sitting next to the hive prepped for installation.

I planned to place the hive boxes (see the darker colored boxes above) onto the brick in the foreground. These boxes were full of bees, comb, brood, and honey. I used my hive tool to loosen the bottom of the box, but that agitated the bees. A bunch flew out of the top and began banging into my veil and lighting on my jeans.  At that point, I decided maybe I would take the torn quilt to my garage and repair it. Maybe the bees would calm down some while time passed. They let me go.

In the garage, I repaired the quilt by adding another layer of burlap over the torn part. The burlap was fixated with staples. I returned to the hive in about 15 minutes.

The bees were still somewhat defensive, but they had calmed slightly. (Still no smoke.)  I lifted off the two bottom boxes. They probably weighed at least 65 pounds. As I strained, I did not notice that I also lifted off the bottom board.  I set the two boxes of bees and bottom board on the brick. Oops! I had to put the bottom board on the hive stand before adding the new box. Now, because of my mistake, I had to move the two medium Lang bee boxes again. I decided to set them in the grass. This time the bees really started getting agitated and a lot of bees came out to defend the hive against me.

I took the boxes off the bottom board and probably a hundred bees immediately started trying to sting me through my suit and jeans.  It is pretty intimidating for a new beekeeper.

I kept at the work, and placed the bottom board. I put on the new (empty) box with the top bars and frames.  Then, I lifted the two medium boxes from the grass onto the top of the new bottom box. My adrenalin was going pretty good by this time and the boxes didn't seem so heavy. (LOL) I was working quickly while 100s of bees attacked, lining up the medium boxes. I got the boxes all in place. Moreover, I don't believe I squished any bees in the process! I replaced the telescoping roof and high-tailed it out of there.

The 100s of bees that had started attacking were still after me. They followed me as I ran across my land. I could hear them buzzing as I ran.  The bee escort stuck with me for about fifteen minutes, warning me that they did not like their hive disturbed.  One of them got underneath my jacket stung my ass. Ha-ha. Congratulations. Several others stung my legs through the blue jeans, but those were like tiny pin pricks. I am sorry that those bees gave up their life for the hive.  (Honey bees die when they sting.)

This Cedar Hive aggression is probably a sign of a very strong hive. Even when I went back out to get the picture above, a couple bees came after me.  The Cedar Hive bees are aggressive, but hopefully that aggression will be used to defend their hives against pests and bee predators. I like this wild Cedar Hive.

Checked on California Hive

Crawled up underneath and peered inside. Status the same. No building on the top bars in the bottom box that I placed a few weeks ago.

I have ordered some top bar special frames from BeeThinking. These are made for the Langstroth medium boxes. Matt Reed persuaded me that I need to use frames with my Lang boxes because of the extra length (verses true Warre sized boxes).  Hopefully, those will arrive here soon and I can retro-fit the bottom of the California hive.

We did observe some fighting outside the hive. Looks like maybe some robbing was taking place at the California hive. It is a pretty strong hive but the hive itself is located in the top two boxes. The box at the bottom is empty, and I think the bees did not figured out to guard it initially. (See the picture above.) Looks like they have guard bee there now.

Still hearing an occasional plinking sound as bees bounce off the bottom screen. Need to place a bottom on it if I can remember this task.