Hello!! Did an inspection on Tuesday and got some pictures during it. Only saw one verroa mite on a bee. Also, one SHB. I put one trap in for SHB, so we will see how it works. I’m sure there are more than I saw so working to eliminate them now.
I should have put my second brood box on sooner to capture the last part of the spring flow but it’s empty now but I think helping regulate the heat. I had a few weeks with a two gallon top feeder and sugar syrup in it.
I thought I was getting syrup bound so I stopped feeding and the queen started laying again. She’s gone through the summer laying and not laying. Capped brood fluctuations but everyone is calm and friendly when I do my weekly inspections.
this last inspection I only had a veil and was comfortable. I know when the heat subsides here in Texas I will suit up again for safety. One got one sting with this hive so far.
I am planning to let them draw out the medium that’s currently an empty brood box now. Then try and capture the spring flow possibly in the Flow frames.
This is my first hive and I have found such a passion with beekeeping. I love everything about them. Slightly obsessive I imagine.
I use these images to help look for verroa as I am sure I miss some during my visual inspections.
Searching for mites on the adult bees is not only difficult but not a useful way to monitor. By the time you see any or very many, you likely have an infestation since 80% of mites are on capped brood.
You should do a sugar shake or alcohol wash to get a more accurate count and consider your treatment options. My preferred method this time of year is formic pro.
I also found some cam panels from old signs at work. Cut them up and replaced the cedar roof panels. Silver side out reflects the heat and seems to be keeping the hive cooler than when the cedar panels were on.
I kept checking the company that made the panels that were posted on here but they are Out of Stock constantly.
I bought a 4 fame nuc on May 1st in Texas we had rain every week in May and June then went to triple digits for 70 days now its cooling down- my problem is I have the same 4 frame of brood and 3 honey the Bees never filled up the bottom box. They have seemed healthy all year Queen is laying but not as much as she should - they have been fed and are still being fed - I have found 2 varroa mites all year and 2 hive beetles - doing a apigard treatment right now as I am worried about winter even though they are mild here - this is my first hive and it just seemed to stay almost the same size all year - d I have a weak Queen or what could it be ???
Well I did have, I went to a 8 hr class with a local guy with over 100 hives he has answered all my questions along the way but he recently sold the entire business to someone else and has disconnected from it over his 6th child coming. I don’t bother him anymore. My queen has always been laying but with the unusual start to summer I thought maybe it stalled my start but the man I got the bees from said his all filled up the bottom box in two weeks in spite of the weather. I think my queen is probably doing her job and now the smaller size hive makes sense for winter just being my first rodeo I want bees to survive the winter and maybe next spring will be better. If not I replace the queen I guess. A really old man told me 9 times out of 10 the queen is not the problem so I did not re-queen this fall. I also thought if she was failing they would make another one. I am feeding sugar water and pollen patties and they are taking it all. The seem very healthy lots of new bees about the same capped brood all year - pollen honey stored - everything looks right just on a smaller scale than it should have been imo. So we have mild winters here I hope they come out like gang busters next spring. Was really shocked at the lack of mites and hive beetles - very happy with that. Even with the apigard treatment there was only 1 mite to drop on bottom board after a week so I have ruled out mites as having anything to do with this years performance. I did taste the honey in July but did not take any other than the tasting - it was incredible.
