Small Hive Beetle?

While watching one of my weaker hives this morning, I noticed ants carrying off wax cappings. It appears they have their colony directly beneath my hive in a crack in the cement. While watching the ants, I noticed a small black beetle walking around on the cement. I caught the beetle and placed it in the underside of a frisbee so I could watch it. It could not crawl up the sides of the frisbee. It looked like a small hive beetle. I took it in the house to look up pictures on the internet and compare. It was the same size. It was black. It was the same shape. It has the clubbed antennae. As far as I can tell it is a Small Hive Beetle. I have not heard of SHB in Utah. I grabbed a bottle to put it in but then noticed that it was gone. I looked all over the computer desk and the floor around it. Nothing. I had my wife help look for it telling her that it couldn't have gone far. She says to me "don't they fly?". Duh. Why didn't I think of that. I was gonna see if I could have someone with the state ag dept identify it for me. I guess I can't now.

I'll open that hive this week to see if there is any evidence of more.

It's possible that it could have come to the area in a package or nuc. Most beekeepers have recently purchased their new bees as packages or nucs and these come from out of state. Could they have brought the beetle with them? Can they survive here?

A Sting for breakfast.

I was watching my hive (Schampell TBH) this morning (like I always like to do). Just crouched near the entrance watching how much pollen was coming in. I had a tulip in one hand and a frisbee (for the dog) in the other.
One of the girls got stuck in the tulip and started to panic. Immediately a bee was frantically buzzing in my face. She focused on my mouth area for a minute as I calmly stood and walked away but then she moved to my eyes (which were shut). I took a sting near the right eye. After I brushed her offm with her stinger still pulsing in my cheek, she (or perhaps one of the others) proceeded to chase me all the way to the house.

Not sure if the bee stuck in the tulip was sending panic messages to the others.

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

Spring check

Checked the 2 hives at Haddock's yesterday. Didn't open them up but saw bees flying in and out of both. Pollen (pale yellow) coming into both hives also. The one (oscar style) currently has 4 boxes. I'm not sure when Jared put on the 4th box. The other (from a late swarm last year) is still just one box. I was surprised to see they made it through the winter. Saw some plants near by with tons of purple flowers on them - not sure what the plant is. I also saw some dandelions in bloom yesterday. Spring is here!

Spring pollen

Had a very beautiful day today. Got a lot of yard work done. Attempted my first apple tree grafts. Spent some time with the bees. All three of my colonies had girls out today. They are bringing in some light yellow pollen. Lots of light yellow pollen (see pics). I'm not sure what it is. The willows are barely beginning to bud. I've seen a crocus here and there but the dandelions aren't even up. Whatever it is, I'm glad they have it.

The TBH at Rosier's was especially busy (and quite friendly).

Early Spring / Late Winter inspection.

I have seen bees at all my hives flying around on the warmer days lately. Some of the days have been up in the 50s. We still have some very cold nights.

I opened up three of my hives to check on honey stores. I was wondering if I needed to start feeding.

Schampel Oscar
I was really worried about this one. This colony was from an August swarm and was very light when I moved it in October. I really din't expect it to last the winter. It did. It's currently 3 deeps tall. The bottom 2 contain the nest (no frames, natural comb from the top bars on top of box 2) the top box is frames with foundation. 3 are drawn out and still half full of honey - mostly capped - some uncapped. I don't know how much honey is in the nest. I am very excited to find honey in here at all. I'll watch this one closer than the others to make sure they have enough food to get to spring. Only a month more (give or take) before they should be able to forage.

Schampel TBH
This hive is doing very well. This colony was half of a split last spring. They queen was out of one of Paul's hives (carny mix of some sort). Very productive colony last summer.  They have several bars of honey on either end of the nest. I saw bees on both ends so I know they know it's there. Won't need to feed this one.

Rosier TBH
This colony is huge. They have many bars of honey on both sides as well. Very pleased with this one.

Empty TBH
This hive contained the other half of the split from last spring. This hive had the original queen. She never laid right after my attempt at splitting. Died off before fall. I poked around in the hive after moving it home in October and I suspect foul brood. The signs are there. The sunken caps on brood cells, some with holes in them. I did the string test but was not sure. I need to have someone else come look at it with me. I'd like to put a swarm or another split in it this spring if it's safe. Can't bare the thought of burning it up if it really is foul brood. Guess we'll see. Can't bare the thought of the foul brood spreading to my other colonies either.

Moved

I've moved again and moved hives too. I guess I should update things.
The Schampel TBH is still where it's always been.
The Prazen Oscar is now moved with  me and will become the Prazen Oscar.
The Prazen TBH has moved to my friends back yard and will become the Rosier TBH.

Hive Oscar is still at Jared's farm as well as a small box containing a swarm we caught late last summer (2 hives).