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I’ve returned from my expedition, and a bit weary. However, I wanted to check on my bees so I dropped by this morning before the heat was unbearable. I saw that there are a few Indian Blanket flowers at end of bloom. I found some hives still put on a bit of honey in my absence, so dearth may not have started, but I’m not sure. I plan to try queen rearing next month when the fall honeyflow starts. I’ll split most of my Lang hives to make nucs to over winter.
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The cat-house TBH is now badly crosscombed. Not sure how they snuck up and built out so fast. I left them alone after the cutout fearing they may abscond or die off. However, they are now at 12 bars. I might wait till January when their numbers fall to cut away the cross comb. Or I will attempt it again when I have more time next week. They acted a little hot this time. Not sure on their genetic worth.
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The Yellow TBH has surprised me and built out 3 more combs of honey. Need to harvest that soon. A little cross combed amongst the honey, but easy fix – i’ll just harvest next week again. I chose to make a summer split on it. Took a frame of eggs, a frame of half honey a brood, and a frame of sealed brood. I plan to sell TBH nucs next year.
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The hot hive on the end is now entering the 2nd super. I think the numbers are still climbing. It filled a medium, and when Wes and Cory came to harvest, I had wes put a super on it. The super was put on upside down! Whoops. I flipped it, but the bees drew out about 2 combs, I’m not sure if they will cap it off, or build new comb and move it. We’ll see. Also, they get feisty fast, I may have to requeen this hive, but it is such a good producer.
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The cooler hive is queen less, there is a sealed and an unsealed queen cell. I’ll see how they behave in a month or so. They were only at about 4 frames of bees. I had to re-repair 2 frames that I botched in my rapid retreat during the vicious attack last month. Low stores. Perhaps they will survive the August dearth. If they don’t, I won’t cry.
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The all Medium hive is set with resources to survive winter.It now spans 2 mediums with the brood next just clipping the bottom of the top medium, the rest is all honey.
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The nuc TBH by the yellow TBH is doing well. Saw eggs and stopped. I like this genetic line I have for the Red, yellow and Nuc TBH. Calm, good producers, early spring ramp up. I will use this strain as my breeder line.
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Plainview hive had eggs, swapped out the comb near the edge with comb next to edge. Only 7 frames I think of bees. Unsure about this genetic line.
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Hive count: 4 TBH, 6 Lang, 1 at Bertils
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I picked up quite a few swarms this year. Some trapped, but most of them, I just knocked off a limb, into a cardboard box. I had to do quit a few combines, and requeens. I built 5 or 6 of the traps like you use, and after looking on the USDA site, decided to go with a 40 liter box, which is a 8 frame Langstroth. I use a new sheet of 1/2″ plywood, and I think the freash pine scent was not condusive to good results. I didn’t catch anything in these traps. The paper mache traps, did great! But as you said, you have to get them transferred quickly. Hope Brazil was fun. By the way, I am in Orange, Texas, which is on IH 10, just before you hit Louisiana.
Did you bait them with 8 drops of Lemon Grass Oil? Did you hang them on trees in the shade? If you hang them where the boxes are in predominant sunlight, they won’t catch swarms.