***WARNING***
Images of a graphic nature follow!
So I finally got around to cleaning out my hives today. I don't think it was starvation that killed them, I think they may have absconded. I found several frames full of uncured honey and sugar syrup.
In one of the supers, I found the remnants of the last great battle for the hive: 
Apparently the hive had become overrun with SHB (small hive beetle). Maybe the conditions became too bad for the bees to stay, I don't know.
As you can see in the following pictures, the girls had surrounded a bunch of SHB and had them holed up in these cells and were guarding them. My guess is that they died during one of our late winter freezes.
These warriors fought bravely!
May they not have died in vain!
By the way, does anyone know what I should do with the frames of uncured honey I found? I don't have any other hives to put them in, and won't be getting more bees until March. Can I freeze the frames, and thaw them before the bees come?
UPDATE! (Well, sort of...)
11 years ago
1 comment:
I'm sorry to see what has happened to your hive. i have become a die hard fan of local honey and want to salute you for what your doing!.. even if you don't live in my area :P I love honey! Please keep up what your doing -- and thanks for enlightening others on the lives of our dear bees!
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