Gloriana's Gold is Thriving

This morning I went out to cut away some shrub and weed overgrowth around the hives and did a quick inspection of Gloriana's Gold (GG). This hive is composed of one deep with two medium supers on top of it. I was excited to lift the back of the hive and feel its weight — it is chock full of bees!

The top super has honey in the outer frames and baby bees being laid in the middle. The laying pattern is a little spotty. I think that may be because the queen is laying more in the middle super, which is definitely heavier with brood.


Last, I pulled out the IPM sheet for a check. The IPM (Integrated Pest Management) sheet fits below the screened bottom board and helps a beekeeper see and monitor a mite infestation. As far as I can see, there wasn't a mite problem, just heavily coated with pollen. Oh, and also a wax moth or two that the girls killed and mummified.

I'm excited about traveling to Temple, Ga. this weekend to pick up a nuc from Georgia Honey Bee Company. I've got an empty hive and it needs fillin'! Photos to come.

Gloriana's Gold

This, my friends, is a glorious sight after the last couple of years. My one surviving hive has made a super full of beautiful, golden HONEY! Thank you, sweet girls! In honor of their handiwork, we will name this hive Gloriana's Gold. Thank you, Richard Funderburke, for submitting the perfect name.

I will harvest some of this honey and leave the rest for a food source. Yesterday I could see the girls bringing in loads of bright yellow and orange pollen. So happy to see they are thriving in the warm March weather.