Hive Inspection

Dakota18B hive inspected. Eggs found. Queen found. Decided to split colony. 3 Brood frames moved to South East hive stand. 3 blank foundation frames added to Dakota18B.

Dakota18C split created at South East hive stand. Split started with 3 brood frames and 1 honey frame. Colony started with a purchased Carniolan queen. Filled frame feeder with syrup.

Dakota18A hive opened. Empty Warre box added to top. Due to hotter temperatures, daytime and night time entrance is crowded and bearding.

Hive Inspection

Wild17 hive inspected. Larva found. Top box full of honey. Number 3 box is filled with brood. Number 4 box is half open frames. This hive is aggressive. Do not open without smoke and bee suit. Stung 4 times.

Hive Inspection

Dakota18B hive inspected. Eggs found. Queen found. Syrup feeder filled. Smoke used not bee suit needed.

WildCA18B hive inspected. Eggs found. Queen found. Syrup feeder filled. Smoke used not bee suit needed.

Hive Inspection

WildCA18B moved to campus at South East corner hive stands. Also empty hive body was moved as well. Smoke used but no bee suit needed.

Dakota18B hive inspected. Eggs found. Queen found. Frame feeder added and filled with Syrup. Smoke used but no bee suit needed.

Dakota18A hive inspected. Eggs found. Queen found. Good hive numbers. Smoke used but no bee suit needed.

Additional swarm catcher installed on campus, hoisted up into cottonwood trees next to field on West side of campus.

Queen Grafts – Failed

Queen start colony from Dakota18B mother colony was inspected. All 10 queen cups were empty. Also about 50 dead bees were in the bottom of the starter box. All frames of bees were moved back into the mother colony.

Next time make sure to provide more ventilation to the start colony. Also make sure to graft the correct larva age.

Queen Grafts – Grafting Day

Removed 1 brood frame from mother colony Dakota18A. I grafted 10 larva into a queen cup frame. I could not find what I believed to be the best aged larva but still attempted the grafting. Added pollen substitute patty and placed a syrup feeder inside sealed starter colony box. Placed starter colony in protected location.

Queen Grafts – Starter Colony

Created starter queen colony from mother hive, Dakota18A. Italian Carniolan breed. Three frames were removed from Dakota18A, 1 honey frame, 1 brood frame and 1 pollen frame. Sealed Colony up and placed in protected location.

Hive Inespection

Refilled water at WildCA18A Barrett location. Good entrance activity. Hive not opened. Top Warre box looks packed with bees when looking through screen.