A Visit to My Top Bar Hive

Valerie is in Italy on her honeymoon (she and Jeff got married in April 2009 but didn't take a honeymoon at that time) so I stopped by her house to bring in mail and check on the bees. I haven't looked at the hive in a couple of weeks and given my current bee experience, I'm scared to visit any hive for fear of what I'll find.

Topsy was busy as bees can bee. Bees were bumping into each other at the entrance. The kudzu above and behind the hive is past its bloom but it's aster season and there are asters everywhere in bloom.



I had two Boardman feeders inside the hive and both were empty. Unfortunately I only brought one quart of sugar syrup with me, but will bring two the next time I come. This is a view of the inside of the feeding area and a giant beetle caught by accident on the screen in the hive. I also saw a few small hive beetles on the Boardman feeders and will bring my Sonny-Mel trap the next time - it can easily sit on the screen at the bottom of this hive.



Some of the old comb I had tied in as a lure has melted through the string and fallen to the bottom of the hive. I'm not going to move it just now because it serves an insulation purpose for the moment. Maybe in the spring cleaning I'm clear it out of the hive.



Bees came out to see what was I doing when I removed the roof. I was very cautious to explore this hive much and didn't remove a single comb. I've got to get over the overly cautious part - I'm so afraid that I'll do something to cause the demise of the hive after my current losses. I must inspect this hive for real when I come back on Thursday afternoon.