Spring Show and Tell. We are so close to doing a hive dive, but it still is just a little chilly. But this is what I KNOW from watching , reading the bottom board and data from my hive monitors. WATCHING - fuzzy bees are everywhere. These are newly hatched brood that have not lost hair due to daily ware and tear. - everybody is doing their orientation flights. First time fliers are doing a lot of orientation to hardwire the hive and surrounding location into their little brains so they know where home is. - counted six drones, so we are on our way! - happy bees are engaging in play, crawling around the outside of the hive, and generally happy that the sun is out. - so much pollen is being brought in there are bottlenecks and lots of general milling about awaiting there entrance window. This means one thing. Brood rearing is afoot! - water is also being brought in for general housekeeping and hydration. - There are no signs of robbing or yellow jacket activity. BOTTOM BOARD - indication of moisture build up. Upon checking the airflow. I found that they have sealed the upper screened inside cover with propolis to keep out light and cold air. Blocking the vent out. Upon correction (burning out the blockage) no more evidence of moisture is happening. - pollen of all color ranges are evident. Which means diversity of flowers. Good sign! - white flakes of new wax, indication that bees are drawing fresh wax which also indicates, nectar is available. - scab like patches of wax that is chewed along the edges. Indication of drone hatching. Yea! - no mites, to be found, no bee Body parts or hive beetles. (So far) HIVE MONITOR SYSTEM - brood has broken the cluster and have moved upward into the second box. When they clustered for the year in the lower box they withdrew from the temperature/humidity sensor. Now they have resumed summer position and readings are returning to normal levels. Temp 96F humidity 37% weight up 1.36 lbs since 02/22/17 so we are in a nectar flow. Humidity rises as the nectar is being concentrated and then stabilizes. NOTES I know from my notes that there are two deep supers, with seven frames per box. When they clustered for the winter the brood moved to the upper portion of the lower box on 4 frames. They have now expanded to the upper boxes. Utilizing 5 frames. I will need to drop in J frames in a week to start the spring expansion. I will also need to remove the older frames (dark) with new frames of newly drawn wax to give them fresh wax to live on.
