So here we are at week 5 of our 3lb install. If you recall, last week i took out a queen cup. All week there has been great activity, some small bearding. I suspected that with new hatching they may be hitting that 80% mark. This is an 8 frame flow hive. You can see tons of brood, honey and pollen. There was only 1 frame that was just starting to get built out. For the first time in 4 inspections, they were a bit more aggressive and i got stung twice on hand. In past they were really docile and nit interested in me at all. Today however they were buzzing me heavily. I dont usually smoke them but today i did a little. A bit of disclosure, i had been woriking in yard all morn sweating pretty heavily. I read that they dont like sweaty stinky humans so maybe they were telling me to shower?
I think we still have strong pollen and nectar resources so doubt they are hungry.
I did see queen again and looks like a ton of new brood, eggs, pollen and honey.
Question for smart folks- why are some cells so strongly yellowed while others are more white? Are white capped cells always honey?
So after inspecting, i deemed it ok to add another brood box. I took 2 solid frames of honey/pollen and moved them to left and right outer positions of new box and placed new box under original. I added to new empty waxed foundation frames to top box at outer positions. I also figured we may be heading into dearth here soon so i added some syrup to top feeder and closed it all back up.
Anyone see any problems with what i did today? Anything i need to look for? Should i reduce entrance now to help them defend larger space?
Also, no signs of mites or moths or illness although by no means trained.
Hope you enjoy photos. They are in order moving from frame 1 to 8
Hey @Donp - your colony looks pretty good! I’d be fairly secure adding that second brood box too, just judging by the looks of things, but also a little concerned about what happens if the nectar flow comes to a screeching halt in the next week or so, which is about the typical timeframe. @Anon what are your thoughts as a fellow Jerseyite?
About the yardwork scents, yes, your bees could have been trying to tell you something lol! I try to be mindful of having nothing strongly scented about me or my breath when I inspect.
About the color of cell capping - white is always honey, because it’s pure, new wax. The yellow color on brood cappings is from pollen, mixed with wax to allow airflow, and a first meal for emerging bees.
After I added the lower brood box, I did give them some sugar water in the top feeder in case the dearth comes soon and they need additional food. I also have a pollen patty in freezer if I might need that. I would love to hear from @Anon since he is not far from me and will most likely have a good idea of when dearth will start. I also am not currently using an entrance reducer, but will add that once nectar dries up too.
I’d say feed them. It doesn’t look like a lot of honey stored on those frames but there is lots of brood that’ll require feeding. I expect a dearth in the next week as temps approach 100F.
What I am seeing is lots of brood and bees but very little in stores, maybe a dearth has already started. With what I am seeing I would already be feeding them sugar and water at 50/50.
