Hive Setup / Configuration - (June 21)

Here is a picture that shows the hives and how they are setup.  The markings on the hive are so the bees know which hive to return to.

Hive 1

·         Chris’s original hive from a 2011 spring Nuc. 

·         Currently 2011 Buckfast Queen that was purchased in 2011 (soon to be re-queened with her naturally raised offspring queen that is temporarily in a Nuc).

·         9 frames per honey super.

·         2012 - Harvested 89 pounds of honey from 23 frames.

Hive 2

·         Christin’s original hive from a 2011 spring Nuc. 

·         Currently 2012 Minnesota Hygienic Queen (purchased).

·         2012 - Had swarming issues in the spring from the 2011 queen (pinched her). 

·         Captured the swarm to make Hive 3 (self-raised queen).

·         2012 - Had a drone laying queen from a naturally developed queen (pinched her). 

Hive 3

·         2012 - Created from a Hive 2 swarm in March 2012.

·         2012 Minnesota Hygienic Queen (Naturally raised.  Her offspring will be ½ Minnesota Hygienic crossed with several different species of Drone bees).

Hive 4

·         2012 Created from Hive 1 split in May 2012. 

·         2012 Buckfast Queen (Naturally raised.  Her offspring will be ½ Buckfast crossed with several different species of Drone bees).

5 Frame Nuc

·         Using this to raise a queen to re-queen Hive 1.  This Queen was an offspring of the 2011 Buckfast Queen in Hive 1.