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Just over a month ago(middle of June) we started bee keeping because my wife happened to be outside as a swarm was flying in our yard. She watched them and they decided to make their home in a pile of wood that I had by our shed.
She called around and a local beekeeper came by to move it for us and we started talking.....anyway we ended up buying a old 10 frame deep langstroth from him and keeping the hive.
A couple of weeks later we finally got our smoker and other tools and we were able to have a peek.(family is hooked) Our bees had filled out 7 frames and we could see larva and capped cells, and lots of capped honey on the top of the filled frames. However the brood was very spotty. We also had SHB running around on the top and I killed all that I could find.
With the 7 frames filled we decided we better hurry and get another deep super so we ordered and about a week later opened our hive back up to check progress and add the extra brood box so they would have room to grow. However there wasn't any additional growth in the hive...but we added the box anyway. Yesterday we did another check and didn't see anything new. Nothing on the new frames, same spotty brood pattern, some larva and about a dozen more beetles(killed them).
Last week I decided to try to feed them with an entrance feeder but quickly had to stop because of sugar ants(they climbed right thru the grease and cinnamon to get to the sugar water)
Am I being impatient? could I have a queen issue? are the beetles messing them up?(working on ordering beetle trap)
Anyway, any and all advice appreciated. I can post pictures of frames tonight if it would help. thanks...oh, I am 2 miles north of the gulf of mexico in Mississippi if that makes a difference.
She called around and a local beekeeper came by to move it for us and we started talking.....anyway we ended up buying a old 10 frame deep langstroth from him and keeping the hive.
A couple of weeks later we finally got our smoker and other tools and we were able to have a peek.(family is hooked) Our bees had filled out 7 frames and we could see larva and capped cells, and lots of capped honey on the top of the filled frames. However the brood was very spotty. We also had SHB running around on the top and I killed all that I could find.
With the 7 frames filled we decided we better hurry and get another deep super so we ordered and about a week later opened our hive back up to check progress and add the extra brood box so they would have room to grow. However there wasn't any additional growth in the hive...but we added the box anyway. Yesterday we did another check and didn't see anything new. Nothing on the new frames, same spotty brood pattern, some larva and about a dozen more beetles(killed them).
Last week I decided to try to feed them with an entrance feeder but quickly had to stop because of sugar ants(they climbed right thru the grease and cinnamon to get to the sugar water)
Am I being impatient? could I have a queen issue? are the beetles messing them up?(working on ordering beetle trap)
Anyway, any and all advice appreciated. I can post pictures of frames tonight if it would help. thanks...oh, I am 2 miles north of the gulf of mexico in Mississippi if that makes a difference.