Warm day, a peek into the end of the hive

3pm 68° cloudy; many bees flying. Left side of B14 has no honey on it; did not move bar to see right side or B13 and beyond. Bees removing carcasses from bottom board. One wasp flying near the hive; no ants on the hive; removed two spider cocoons under roof.  When we have another warm, dry day I’ll look at B14 and remove it if no honey on either side and move the follower further in again.

October 19, 2011

Anniversary of Brad’s leaving…and it’s a beautiful warm day here in Independence, Oregon, located in the mid Willamette Valley. We’ve not had a frost yet and it appears we’ll get to Nov 1 with little rain—if that happens I can make it through a rainy winter just fine. So today’s high was 75°, clear, barely noticeable breeze—fantastic Oregon fall day! I checked the top bar hive with a plan to remove empty B16 and B15 if there was little honey left on it and move the follower to reduce air space.  Yes, most of the honey was gone and B15 and B16 removed; ¾” spacer inserted and follower moved. I placed B15 on the cradle and set it on the kitchen table for display and to have the honey, wax, and propolis smell in the house…nice. And that’s it for the fall unless we learn something that indicates we need to check the hive sooner than late winter. Jody and I are looking for learning opportunities on top bar hive beekeeping and found what looks to be an interesting experience: http://www.friendlyhaven.com/classes.html.

A few ideas I’ve picked up during recent reading:

*To determine the start or end of honey flow:  Place 1 tablespoon of honey on a shallow container in the sun. If nectar is unavailable, bees will find it within 15 min or so and call others to the feast.

*Use Mrs. Stewart’s liquid bluing for stings

*Sprinkle a little salt on the entry board—bees will take if needed

*Construct some kind of an entrance board for the tbh???

*Sprinkle cinnamon to stop ants on their path.

Bees still flying, although in reduced numbers, and returning with pollen and nectar. Bees throughout the yard on the plants purchased and planted last month—wait until next year when the plants have grown and become established…there will be buzzing all around!

Probably last hive check of the fall

Another hive check, 20 min, partly cloudy, 68°, calm.  Bees flying today, 30% returning with pollen. Got a sting on cheek soon after moving B15 to the cradle, so put on the veil. B15 appears much the same as it did a week ago. Cut through brace comb on B14, bringing the blade of the hive tool up from the bottom of the comb next to the hive side with a gentle sawing motion. Set B14 on the cradle, too, in order to look at and move B13 to see B12. (Because of two added bars during the summer—2.5 and 9.5—B13 is actually B15 and B15 is actually B17 in the hive, etc.) Good to see that the comb on B13 and B12 is drawn deep into the hive with a small amount of brace comb near the top and a good number of capped honey cells. Not keen about the cross combing on the front side between B12 & B13; appears to be a small amount of cross combing from B13 to B14 also on the front side. Next spring we will probably find that same configuration back to B10, which is where it all started a few months ago. Really wanted to go further back to find where the brood is but after about 15 min the buzzing inside the hive became much louder and more agitated bees were flying closer to where I was working, it was time to close up and leave. They have capped honey through B13 and a good amount on the right half of B14; they should have enough food for winter. Later in October I'll remove B16, which is still empty, and move the follower in to reduce air space in the hive.

Ants were up under the roof so I sprinkled cinnamon where they were entering…frustrating ants, which will always be here but I don’t want them on/in the hive. Will mix up a borax solution and see if that eliminates the nest that is infesting the hive area.



B12



B12 cross comb to B13 at hive front

B13 left side, comb drawn deep into hive

B13 right side showing cross comb from B12