7/1/12 Sun 11 a.m., 85 degrees, sunny
Supers
Top (Medium size) Super: empty
Middle & Bottom Large Supers:
Both very heavy to lift and bees are docile and quiet. Very little smoke needed.
It took some time to loosen each frame from the propolis accumulated though.
About 4 frames in each super had ¼ of the frames covered in capped honey. The rest of the frames were all filled with nectar. Overall healthy and far beyond where they were last year this time. There were though a few areas on the frames where a small group of bees had made “honey fountains”. What looked like capped cells opened and made into vaselike containers and bees were all drinking honey from them in a party-like fashion.
Queen
No sign. Although looking for the queen is like going to a crowded beach on a holiday weekend and after a swim trying to find your way back to your towel. “Master Beek” (Well Stung Apriaries) would have found her in instant. No larvae in the top medium super so hopefully the queen is still part of the hive.
Environment
This was the first time the bees were out in the front flower garden on the lemon balm. Since these bees arrived, they have had a high-in-the-sky flight pattern and far less than last year have been on the property. Nice for hot tubbing but flowers have been less healthy this year.
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 53°F;
- Humidity: 89%;
- Heat Index: 53°F;
- Wind Chill: 53°F;
- Pressure: 30.36 in.;