Just to be on the safe side, I removed the queen cage and closed up the hive. I took the cork out of the corked end of the queen cage while I held my finger over the open sugar end. Then I slid the entire cage into the hive at the entry.
Maybe the bees were still drawn to traces of queen pheromone still in the cage - who knows?
Given the fate of the L hive, I didn't like seeing the small hive beetle in the queen cage and returned to the hive and installed AJs beetle traps for a safeguard or at least a start to IPM management of this SHB problem.
The way this bee season has gone, I only expect to get some honey from the Easter hive. The other six hives will hopefully build up for the winter.
Valerie and Jeff's top bar, Topsy, backs up to a kudzu mess and they may get some of that purple kudzu honey - you never can tell with bees, as Winnie the Pooh said so wisely. I may get some sourwood type honey from the Rabun county hive, but we'll see. I'm going up this weekend and will optimistically take an extra box for those girls.
Just found your blog and I'm really enjoying it- it's nice to know someone else isn't perfect at beekeeping. :) I appreciate your sharing your issues and all.
ReplyDeleteI'm a relatively new blogger, but if you want to check it out: http://winecheesebees.blogspot.com/
I'm only able to visit once a week for the time being but I've tried to catch up with you today :) Hopefully you'll get some honey from at least the one hive. What does purple kudzu honey taste like? I've never heard of it..
ReplyDeletethanks
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