[Dakota]

so I'm super excited that my girls seem to be going strong! I should really post some pictures here or my recent inspections, but I just wanted to thank all of those who have helped me get here! I know it's really only the beginning, and I hope things continue to go well (or at least not catastrophically bad). I'll be looking forward to adding another hive next spring. I think having two will help me in case something goes awry in one, and from the other posts that I've read I can't even imagine how Honey Bees are making it all alone in nature. It's astounding what percentage actually seem to make it. It's almost scary to check on the hive.

Based on the brood cycle I should start seeing some new bees orienting themselves, so I'm looking forward to that, but it also makes me wonder if this is also a time when comb building tends to slow down, as most of the bees in there are older now, and I think I remember reading they can only make wax at a certain early age. That would mean in the coming weeks, wax production should kick back in and they'll be able to draw more comb, no? They just sort of seemed to stop (or drastically slow down from the first 2-3 weeks. They seem to have plenty of stores, and they're bringing on pollen by the boat load mostly in the mornings. They also appear to like to make "wavy" comb, but the bars seem to still be pretty parallel. Just a little different from what I've seen here and there. Anyway, I guess I'll finish up by posting some pics of the girls over the last month. Thanks again everyone!

 

[Tenbears]

All the talk of brood cycles is in reference to specific things. The reality of it is once a hive is 21 days old bees emerge daily. There are instances when the queen slows production. However, during summer season she lays every day. so the eggs laid today will emerge as worker 21 days from today. Those laid tomorrow will emerge in 22 days from today. The bees within a hive are of varying ages thus a given hive has bees available to perform all tasks. Even within a hive that suffers a catastrophe causing a severe loos of house age bees. Foragers will regress to house bees to fill the void. So you have bees taking orientation flights daily. It is not like a shift change at the factory.

 

[Acebird]

They just sort of seemed to stop (or drastically slow down from the first 2-3 weeks. They seem to have plenty of stores, and they're bringing on pollen by the boat load mostly in the mornings

My guess is your nectar flow stopped or tapered off. They will continue to bring in pollen and use the honey stores to raise more brood. All is good.

 

[Zbee]

I really like your pictures - white balance and clarity are top notch. What sort of camera and lens are you using?

Progress looks great! Comb building will occur when there is need for new comb due to additional stores or brood. I observed in my fresh starts this year that they greatly increased comb output when there were more bees to build comb, almost an exponential curve once they get a few cycles in.

 

[Dakota]

Thanks Zbee. I'm a photographer by trade, but I use a 100mm Macro lens on a Canon Body. One for two of those pics are from my phone (the swarm ball is for

I'm pretty sure the flow is still going, and there are a LOT of bees going in and out (mroe than the first two weeks) but I have probably had some robbing lately, and I've noticed their capped honey stores are no longer capped (but still contain nectar) and the last bar of comb is 1/3 full, but zero eggs yet. I'm wondering if they are waiting to use it as honey comb? Doesn't seem like they brood nest is big enough (11 bars so far I think, maybe 12) but I know the girls know what they're doing. I'm going to put the feeder back on just to make sure. I'm just worried about robbers at this point. But It's a great feeling to watch them grow and do their thing.