The little colony that could

I inspected the Schampel Oscar hive today. This is a hive I didn't expect to survive the winter. They were so light going into it. These girls are the remnants of a small swarm caught late last year that were added to the stragglers from a large swarm who absconded. They didn't have much time to build up for winter. I had decided to let them give it a shot. If they make it, they make it! If not, oh well.

I have been watching them bringing in pollen. Have also noticed a bit of dysentery (brown spots all over the front of the hive). Yesterday while watching the hive entrance, I noticed a large red and yellow wasp land on the front and walk right in one of the entrance holes. I tried to squish her with by shoe but was not fast enough.

Today at lunch the weather was nice enough (at first) that I decided to open it up and have a look.
There are still 3 frames in the top box about 1/3 full of capped honey. Bottom 2 boxes are large combs hanging from top bars (measured one of them at 14 inches long). I pulled them all out for a look see.

The first thing I noticed upon removing the only 2 bars without comb on them was a large red and yellow wasp dead on the hive floor. Yes! The hive bottom needed some serious cleaning. The entrances are about half way up on the bottom box (no bottom entrance). There was about 1/4 inch of chewed up newspaper bits (from when I combined the two colonies) on the bottom. Mixed into this were dead bees, bits of chewed wax cappings and of course a large DEAD wasp.

 I Found the queen on the first brood bar. Small queen (perhaps not mated?). Also noticed what appears to be the remains of a supercedure sell. Opened up on the side. Not sure what that means. I found a small cluster of capped brood with some uncapped brood. Did not notice any drones or eggs. the total brood area was only about the size of a softball.
I cleaned up a bit of cross combing that had happened. Rather easy to do at this point as those 2 combs were empty.

I'm happy that the girls survived the winter. I'm a bit concerned with the dysentery and also the small size of the colony. I guess We'll see what the do now the the flowers have their bloom on.

Death to the wasp!

Queen

Large Comb