Week 4, fourth hive check

Today dawned beautiful. It’s been a long cool week with lower temps and spring rain – thunder and lightning, too!

So all week I’ve been thinking that the hives are going to be noticeably larger in population and in honeycomb production. That wasn’t the case. I was surprised to see very little difference from last week. I was thinking that I would be adding a second deep box to Hive 2 today, but the outer frames were still lacking drawn comb, so I’ve decided to wait. Last week I added a second box to Hive 1. I was expecting the outer frames in the lower box to be built out by now and the bees moving upward. Again, that wasn’t the case. The outer frames had very light comb, some areas still bare, pretty much like last week.

Hive 2 Stats
Did not see queen
Didn’t really see any eggs
Did see lots of larva in all stages
Saw lots of capped brood, pollen and honey
Outer frames are starting to be drawn out with comb

Hive 1 Stats
Saw the queen in frame 3
Saw eggs
Saw larva in all stages
Saw lots of capped brood, pollen and honey
Outer frames are starting to be drawn out with comb