Bee update 4/23/07 - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

MikeWaters · 04-23-2007, 03:43 PM

I opened up the hive on Saturday for the first time. I took out the frames and inspected them for progress, i.e. how much comb has been built, how much honey and pollen stores, if there is any new brood.

I didn't see any capped brood. This is when the larva is done eating and ready to change into an adult bee. The cell is capped. I actually didn't even see any larvae. After getting on the phone and figuring out what eggs look like, I did see a number of those. I also spotted the queen making her rounds.

There are two troubling developments however. Sugar ants are making forays into the hive. They are attracted to the sugar water feeder. They may also be going for the honey. I also saw two small hive beetles. This is a pest new to North American in the past few years.

So I put out some jam mixed with boric acid for the ants to eat.

I found plans to make a trap for the small hive beetles. Some hives can keep them in check without using any man-made measures.

I may end up putting my hive on stilts. And have each stilt sit in a coffee can with either motor oil or diatomaceous earth. This will keep ants out.

It's a wonder bees can make a living at all.

04-23-2007, 03:43 PM	#1
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	Bee update 4/23/07 I opened up the hive on Saturday for the first time. I took out the frames and inspected them for progress, i.e. how much comb has been built, how much honey and pollen stores, if there is any new brood. I didn't see any capped brood. This is when the larva is done eating and ready to change into an adult bee. The cell is capped. I actually didn't even see any larvae. After getting on the phone and figuring out what eggs look like, I did see a number of those. I also spotted the queen making her rounds. There are two troubling developments however. Sugar ants are making forays into the hive. They are attracted to the sugar water feeder. They may also be going for the honey. I also saw two small hive beetles. This is a pest new to North American in the past few years. So I put out some jam mixed with boric acid for the ants to eat. I found plans to make a trap for the small hive beetles. Some hives can keep them in check without using any man-made measures. I may end up putting my hive on stilts. And have each stilt sit in a coffee can with either motor oil or diatomaceous earth. This will keep ants out. It's a wonder bees can make a living at all.