Last Year I Started Beekeeping - So Exciting

[Happy Chooks]

I inspected my hive yesterday. (3 weeks since installation of the nuc) Saw the queen and the frames are packed with bees, larva and some honey storage. The queen is laying a nice, tight pattern. They still had not drawn out 3 frames, but since I know the bees will start emerging soon, I chose to add the next hive body anyway.

I did see what looked like a supercedure comb towards the bottom of one of the frames. Is this normal? I don't want to lose my colony.

Checked on the entrance feeder and went to adjust it this morning so it wouldn't fall out and I guess I made them mad - got stung by one bee. It's weird because I can usually sit right by the hive without issue.

 

[madamwlf]

How is the heat in your area? I hear bees can get cranky when it is hot outside. I've been checking the hives in the evening when they are in the shade and it is much cooler out.

 

[Happy Chooks]

It's not even 70 degrees out yet. Yesterday afternoon it was warm, mid 80's or so.

 

[madamwlf]

Not sure then. I do wait until towards night fall to mess with their feeders. Just less activity.

 

[chigger bait]

I put another deep on both of my new hives that I started from packages today.

The deeps that I started them in were full.

I also added mediums to my other 4 hives.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I can't get near the hive now without them trying to sting me. Got stung adjusting the feeder yesterday and tonight I needed to fill the feeder and had one come after me. (but luckily not sting me) Up until this week I've been able to sit right next to the hive and watch them come and go without issue. I added the 2nd hive body this week and it has been warmer. Is it because of the heat?

 

[sgtmom52]

I can't get near the hive now without them trying to sting me. Got stung adjusting the feeder yesterday and tonight I needed to fill the feeder and had one come after me. (but luckily not sting me) Up until this week I've been able to sit right next to the hive and watch them come and go without issue. I added the 2nd hive body this week and it has been warmer. Is it because of the heat?

There could be multiple reasons a hive becomes more "testy"

* It could be the heat or stormy weather approaching
* As a hive builds up there are a lot more guard bees to defend the hive.
* If a hive is "Queenless" they often become more aggressive.
* The breed of the bee can make a difference ~ i.e. ~ Russian tend to be more grumpy than Italians
* Bees don't like certain odors ~ i.e. ~ perspiration, some perfumes, etc.
* Bees can be more defensive to people wear dark colors than lighter colors
* Bees don't like loud noises & vibrations, such as lawn mowers and weed eaters (My DH always puts on his bee suits when he mows or trims close to the hives. We have anywhere from 4 to 8 hives together and you can disturb a lot of bees when you trim in front of the hives)

 

[Happy Chooks]

Thanks a bunch for your response Julie.

I did see the queen when I inspected, but when I looked at the other side of the frame and came back to the side she was on, I couldn't find her again. She was near the bottom of the frame, so I thought she went around the bottom or something. Hopefully she's still in there. I hold the frames over the hive so if any fall off, they fall into the hive.


Quote: This makes sense as I should have brood emerging now. It was also pretty hot yesterday, 90 degrees here so there were some bees flying around the front of the hive. Last night I put on my bee suit to give them sugar water (after almost getting stung) and they were congregating around the hive opening. I didn't go out until after dark (when I closed up chickens), so maybe that upset them. (I'm trying to find the best time to refill their sugar water. So far, early morning seems to be the best, but I'll still have to put on my suit because of all the bees around the front of the hive) Supposed to be 93 today, then a storm is coming tomorrow, so it will be cooling down.

 

[galanie]

Wish me luck. I'm going to start beekeeping for the first time pretty soon. I'm going to build my own Top Bar Hive with scavanged wood from pallets and old cabinets. The old cabinet wood will have the finish sanded off on the inside part so it's bare wood. I've put my two questions in italics.

No one will ship 3lb packages of bees this time of year but they will ship queens. I understand that queens come with a few workers, is this correct? It gets really hot here and plan to have the hive in a shaded area that is open to all directions but sheltered on the north.

Can I mix up sugar syrup to feed them or do I really need to buy a mix for this? Edit: Nevermind, found the answer in this thread.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Hi galanie! I'm new to this too.


sgtmom...........I narrowed it down to the heat. It is much cooler this morning and the bees are back to what I've seen previously. When it's hot, there are more bees hovering around the hive.