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.
How exciting. I am thrilled that GG is doing well. The "mummified moths" was interesting. Did they come to eat honey???
ReplyDeleteWax moths are terribly destructive if they are able to infest a hive. They infiltrate at night and lay their own eggs. The larvae hatch and feed off the beeswax and wood. They also spin sticky webs that cover the frames. If the hive isn't strong, the bees can't fend off the moths, so they leave.
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