It was finally dry enough and warm enough at the same time to have a look in the hives today. There is a little honey, some pollen and some half finished (uncapped) honey in both hives. Dead bees in the bottoms. Some bees on the combs in Rosamund appear to be dead.
If the single cluster I saw had a queen in it and they are alive, she has less than 50 attendants.
I saw no evidence of disease.
Kitty are you leaving them as is or what? Maybe the hives will fraw in a swarm or two in the coming months.
ReplyDeleteRandy, I think so. I think leaving the food there will draw pests, but there are a couple of empty combs that might encourage a swarm to feel like they weren't starting from scratch.
ReplyDeleteMy friend with the hive in the walnut tree says I am welcome to take one up there to try to catch a swarm from it, but only until it's time to start mowing the grass. Then, the hive can't be in the way. And since I don't know when a swarm will happen, or even IF, I'm hesitant.
I do like the idea of survivor bees, though. So, my mind keeps circling back to that idea.