[Paul McCarty]

Two days ago, I pulled every frame from my upper deep (food chamber) and checked them. I intended to replace the wonky comb they drew last year on my foundation-less frames. I noticed this box was mostly empty and had very little capped honey left from Winter.

I saw my Apricot tree blooming yesterday and my plum tree just about to pop, so I decided to pull the upper box and put on a super, intent on catching the early flow. After I pulled the box and put on the super, I checked the frames in the box I pulled. It was almost totally filled with capped honey and had new comb drawn. Disgusted, I brushed off the bees back into the hive entrance and decided to just leave the super in place. All that work for nothing. I thought that I had messed with the bees far too much today as they were getting pretty pissed off. Something is apparently flowing around my place. I guess I will just keep these deep frames of honey for spring splits.

I had planned on leaving my other hives alone for a few more weeks, and letting them clean out the Mountain Camp style sugar they still have, but now I am thinking I should get out there and scrape out the sugar, add boxes, and check for swarming. The blooming season seems to be coming on early this year.

 

[canoemaker]

What breed of bees is in that hive?

 

[Paul McCarty]

Not sure... They are some feral bees I pulled from a motel in the desert last year. They are dark, but act sort of "Italianish" in some ways. They maintain a HUGE population, even through Winter. They fly anytime it is above freezing. The downside - they ate 4 times as much as my other bees and they can be a little temperamental. The wild hive I got them from has had bees living in it for at least a decade. I think they are some sort of wild dark Italian, but can't really tell for sure. My other bees are more Carni oriented.

I was going to attempt comb honey with them and am attempting to get them down to one brood box and splitting off the queen. I should probably look for her next chance I get. I ran out of time today. I am a bit worried though, if they filled the top box so quick, I bet the bottom box has a bunch of honey in it too. Now I am thinking more about swarm prevention. But the empty super should help in that respect.