All of the information on here is in “Jason Bruns Shorthand” so if you have a question as to what something means…. send me an e-mail. There are probably typos because I don’t proofread spelling errors on my records. Most current data is always going to appear at the top under each heading.
1001 – Hive Site 1
2012-09-30 – Hive visited. Installed mouse guard and corrugated plastic for winter. Still needs to have cork put into deep hive body holes.
8/23/12 – Checked. Activity excellent. Just another reason to allow your genetics to play out no matter what you think. This hive would have been combined or perhaps even shook out by some beekeepers. They have gone from the weakest hive here to the strongest. What a difference a year makes.
3/17/12 – Removed AtticBox10. Ultimate deep was not very heavy. They looked better than they did coming out of winter last year. Penultimate deep was very light. Nadired a deep under both with follower boards in it. Removed IPM plastic insert, there were varroa present. Removed Mouse guard. Placed 2 shallow supers on top alternating between drawn comb and foundationless frames..
3/6/2012 – Great Activity ~16:00 No pollen entering hive.
3/1/2012 – Most active hive at this site. Bringing in yellow and bright red pollen.
2/23/2012 – Appear to be alive and well.
10/23/2011 – AG – placed attic box. 2 frames empty in top deep. Good honey stores throughout other frames. Put piece of corrugated plastic under the hive. This hive looks totally transformed from earlier this spring. I suspect that they requeened themselves. Should overwinter.
9/12/11 – AG, two frames not complete on top deep. This hive may just make it. Seeing where they were last spring to where they are right now is surprising.
Spring 2011 – Varroa have severely affected
2010 made a lot of black locust honey (2-3 supers) in spring, then almost 2 supers of ?? in the fall.
Genesis: From Ken Wilhelm
1005 - Hive Site 1
2012-09-30 – Hive visited. Installed mouse guard and corrugated plastic for winter. Still needs to have cork put into deep hive body holes.
8/23/12 – checked. Activity good just not as good as 1001. Top super is capped. Will probably pull top two this fall and the other two shallows next spring.
3/17/12 – Removed AtticBox 11. Top shallow still had honey in it. It was about half full. The second shallow was still completely full. Ultimate deep was full of brood and capped honey. Heaviest box of all the hives I have been through. Penultimate deep was quite heavy. I removed a frame insert feeder that was in the penultimate deep. Nadired a Deep underneath everything. Removed IPM Plastic (Varroa were present) and mouse guard. Placed 2 more shallow supers on top. Capped Drone Brood was seen in main brood chamber.
3/6/12 – Moderately active. No pollen entering hive.
2/23/2012 – Appear to be alive and well.
10/23/2011 – AG – Placed attic box. Lots of honey in top shallow. I did not go digging down through the hive but I suspect that the penultimate super is full too. Will leave these this winter since genetically this hive seems to be workhorses. I do not want to chance leaving them shy of reserves. Put piece of corrugated plastic under the hive. Should overwinter.
9/12/11 – AG – Both Supers not completely full. The bottom one ~ 75%, the top ~35%. Hive looked good in top deep as far as stores for winter.
2011 Swarmed 5/27/11 from 1101 gathered via shaking
2010 Made about 130# honey
Genesis: From a whiskey barrel at My Uncle Gerald’s (THE GERALD HIVE)
1101 – Hive Site 2
10/15/2012 17:14 – Little to no activity observed at this time on outside of hive. Drones are flying around in the area trying to gain admission but being turned away. bees can clearly be seen in the top deep observation hole. If tomorrow is a nice day this hive will be opened up and prepared for moving. configuration M/M/D/D/S/S/TE.
10/7/2012 – hive has been doing best of all hives at site. Currently cannot see bees through hole in ultimate deep cannot see bees through hole. Current height configuration M/M/D/D/S/S/TE.
7/29/12 – Checked, everything full except for a couple uncapped frames on the sides. Added extra supers.
6/23/12 – popped top. Still little to no work done in top super. Added top entrance in the style of Tim Ives. Made from one of my normal inner covers.
5/25/12 – Popped top to see what is going on in honey supers. Could clearly see down into the penultimate super. The bees are still not building in there. Beginning to think the queen could have been a casualty back when many bees all died need to count back number of days. Numbers and activity just don’t seem consistent with a month ago.
3/16/12 – Activity good, Removed attic box-25. The super that I left over the winter was still almost totally full of honey. Ultimate deep heavy, penultimate deep fairly light, bringing in pollen. Nadired 2 mediums under the two deeps. Placed two shallow supers on top alternating foundationless frames and drawn comb, the top super has 9 frames in it. Removed IPM-corrugated plastic Varroa were present Mouse guard removed.
3/6/12 – Working today, less than 1102 and 1106. Noticably less active. This hive has behaved in this fashion since coming here. They had good stores last winter. It is almost as if they have a personality of, “we have enough food, we aren’t coming out if we don’t need to”. Unsure if that is truly the case.
1/5/2012 – On this day both 1102 and 1106 were very active. I am unsure at this time if that is because both of those hives seemed to be in more “need” last fall and this hive is confident enough to stay in on this marginal day or if they are dead.
10/24/2011 – No activity at entrance, but good activity inside. The shallow super is all worked perhaps ½ full with capped honey. I know the top deep was completely full earlier in the summer prior to placing the shallow super on the hive. Good probability of overwintering. Added Mouse Guard, Attic box and plastic bottom insert.
9/12/11 – AG – Removed top super. They had not drawn it out or anything as of yet. I left one super on there that they may just be able to fill out. Numbers look really good.
Genesis: From 1005 Swarm (5/27/11) Shook into hive
1102 – Hive Site 3
10/15/2012 17:17 – Very little activity at this time. it is quite cool out. Bees clearly seen in the observation hole coming in out in cleaning the outside of the hole. Tomorrow this hive if it is nice out, will be prepared for moving. Drones are flying in the area trying to gain admission to the hives but they’re not being allowed in. Configuration D/D/D/M/S/TE.
10/7/2012 – This hive as been doing well recently currently bees are packed in the ultimate deep hole with propolis providing some cover. current configuration D/D/D/M/S.
7/29/12 – Checked. All full, added a medium and a shallow super.
6/23/12 – Super almost complete. 1-2 frames left to cap.
5/25/12 – Hive continues to be strong. Added a shallow super. The top box had capped honey at the top.
3/16/12 – Activity good – Removed attic box 24. Ultimate deep had not even been drawn out. The penultimate box was light. I reversed these two boxes then nadired a deep under both of them containing 8 foundationless frames and follower boards. In the middle deep removed two outermost frames and replaced them with follower boards This hive was not ready for supers. Removed IPM-corrugated plastic Varroa were present. Mouse guard removed.
3/6/12 – Active. I cannot believe this hive is still alive after the condition it was in at the end of the summer.
1/5/2012 – This day was unseasonably warm and there was much activity out of this hive. I am unsure why they are out unless it is because they are conscious of how desperate their situation is. Either that or it is just a day for the bees to be out.
10/24/2011 – No activity at entrance. Top deep NOT worked, unsure of how much honey in bottom. Poor probability of overwintering. Added Mouse Guard, Attic box and plastic bottom insert.
9/12/11 – AG – This hive appears very nice and healthy from the outside. It however has failed to draw out wax on the top deep as of yet. I have a decent amount of fear that this hive will not be able to wrap this year up and get things going.
Genesis: From 1003 Swarm (5/28/11) Shook into hive
1104 – Hive Site 03
10/11/2012 18:20 This hive has an inspection hole on each of the 3 deeps. The inspection hole of the top deep has been filled completely with propolis. The top entrance is this visible and clear of propolis. Bees can clearly be seen in the middle deep through the inspection hole. Comb has been built in the bottom deep. The middle frame can be seen through the inspection hole. Comb is present there, but not currently occupied by bees. Today the corrugated plastic and mouse guard will be installed. This appears to be the most active hive at this site. Configuration D/D/D/M/TE.
6/23/12 – Activity great. Top two supers showed little to no progress. First super full.
5/25/12 – Reduced two supers on top to nine frames a piece. Removed frames were used to seed a super of foundationless frames to go on 1107. Great activity, supers both almost full. Added another super with foundation only.
3/16/12 – By far the best looking hive inspected today. Removed atticbox 18. Ultimate and penultimate deeps both fairly heavy. Nadired a deep under both with foundationless frames, with one of the 2 center most frames being old black brood comb. Placed two shallow supers on top. Added top entrance. Did not block bottom entrance due to heavy traffic. Will do that at a later date. Removed IPM-corrugated plastic Varroa were present. Mouse guard removed.
3/6/12 – Quite a bit of activity, but no pollen entering hive.
2/23/12 – Activity with dead bees in front of hive.
10/23/2011 – AG – Placed attic box. Looks great. There is a lot of cross comb in this box. Top box almost full of capped honey. There is a lot of propolis in / on top box. Should overwinter.
9/12/11 – AG – Top Box almost full
9/1/11 – Good Pollen, Good Numbers. 4 frames drawn out in top box.
Genesis: From TRAP03 caught on the sink at the house ~ 6/4/11
1106 Hive Site 2
10/15/2012 17:19 little to no activity as far as coming and going. Drones flying in the area trying to get into this hive as all the others. Bees can be clearly seen in the observation hole cleaning the area. configuration D/D/D/S/TE.
10/7/2012 in need of mouse Guard. Hive identification marker has been washed off. The hole drilled in the ultimate deep has been fully propolised. current configuration D/D/D/M/TE.
7/29/12 – Checked all full added a shallow.
6/23/12 – Heavy amount of propolis. Top super nearly complete. Appear to be propolizing some of the TE closed. Very strong hive.
5/25/12 – Popped top. Though many bees, could clearly see down through the top super to the second one. Cannot understand why they are not building comb/honey in there. Still suspect that something happened back when those bees all died.
3/16/12 – Activity good – Removed attic box 23. Nadired a deep under previous two. Both boxes fairly heavy. Placed 2 shallow supers on top alternating between drawn comb and foundationless frames. The top shallow has only 9 frames. Put top entrance on this hive. Occluded bottom entrance after dark. Removed IPM-corrugated plastic Varroa were present. Mouse guard removed.
3/6/12 – Activity with no pollen entering hive.
1/5/2012 – This day was unseasonably warm and there was much activity out of this hive. I am unsure why they are out unless it is because they are conscious of how desperate their situation is. Either that or it is just a day for the bees to be out.
10/24/2011 – No activity at entrance, but good activity inside. Much cross-coming in upper deep. Some probability of overwintering. Top deep probably 50-75% full of capped honey. Added Mouse Guard, Attic box and plastic bottom insert. This attic box fits very tightly and may need to have some screws loosened to get it off the top of the 1106B Box. I think that this particular deep cups out at the top of the box. That deep may need to be turned into a swarm trap.
9/12/11 – AG – This hive really surprised me today. The last time I looked at it, there was almost no comb construction in the top deep. Today all of the frames have been drawn out. The construction of the comb looks ugly, but much of it is full of capped honey. Though I thought it was a gonner last time I checked it, I have hope that this hive will at least make it through the winter.
Genesis: From TRAP12 at HS4 ~ 6/5/11
1107 – Hive Site 03
10/11/2012 18:19 Mouse Guard and corrugated plastic installed on this hive. Does not appear to have any comb building in bottom deep. Much activity seen through inspection hole in top deep. Configuration D/D/D/TE.
7/12/12 – added top entrance. Top super still has frames that need to be worked and filled. Hive strong with good numbers, just not filling things with honey yet.
6/23/12 – reversed supers. Foundation on frames in bottom super had been drawn. Nothing was going on in top super.
5/25/12 – Very strong. Honey dome present in ultimate deep. Added two supers, bottom one seeded with 2 uncapped combs of nectar from 1104. The top super has 5 foundation frames in the center and four foundationless frames on the outside.
3/16/12 – Activity good. Removed atticbox 22. Ultimate deep was not completely drawn out. Penultimate box was fairly heavy. These two boxes were reversed, then a deep with foundationless frames was nadired under both. There was some nectar that was spilled out of the boxes when I moved them. Something is providing nectar, but I do not know what it is. This hive is not ready for supers yet. Removed IPM-corrugated plastic Varroa were present. Mouse guard removed.
3/6/12 – Hive very active. No pollen entering hive.
2/23/2012 – Activity, dead bees in front of hive. I think this hive will make it.
10/23/2011 – AG – Placed attic box and mouse guard, corrugated plastic. Not much honey in top box. This hive is building the top deep perpendicular to the frames. I will not be able to remedy this until next year. Doubtful that this hive will overwinter.
9/12/11 – AG – Top box still not started yet, though the bottom box appears to be all full.
Genesis: This hive came from a swarm that was collected via shaking from Portland, IN
1109 - Hive Site 04 - SHB
2012-09-30 – activity good. Added mouse guard and corrugated plastic under screen. Small hive beetles were seen in this hive, 2 found on underside of inner cover. Both Killed. Configuration D/D/D/D/TE.
8/23/12 – Checked Top deep is full of honey. Next spring will re-space top deep to hold 9 frames and add 1 more deep underneath, then some supers at 9 frames each.
6/15/12 – Good activity, top box almost all full of honey.
5/4/12 – Good activity. Not as good as 1103. Removed all tape from hive holes.
3/17/12 – Activity good. AtticBox 14 and mouse guard removed. Ultimate deep was not worked. Penultimate deep was light. Reversed these two and nadired a deep under them both. Removed IPM plastic varroa were present. There are small hive beetles in this hive as well.
3/1/12 – Moderate activity, bringing in pollen, Light yellow and bright red. Not as active as 1103. Copious amounts of propolis in hive.
10/23/2011 – AG – Placed attic box and mouse guard, corrugated plastic. There are beetles inside this hive. I suspect SHB, but must do some research. These beetles were NOT small at all. There are 4 frames in top deep NOT drawn out…Propolis present but not as extensive as 1103.
9/12/11 – AG – All paper from the last visit is gone between the boxes. I saw brown beetles in the top deep, I hope that they are NOT SHB. They are only 1/4th complete with top deep. Put in 1 frame frozen honey.
9/1/11 – Added second deep box. Pollen entering hive, but all frames in bottom deep not fully worked yet.
Hived 8/4/11
To be moved to HS4 8/3/11
Genesis: TRAP13 From HS5 ~7/31
1110 – Hive Site 05
2012-09-30 – Hive visited. Installed mouse guard and corrugated plastic for winter. Doing well.
7/12/12 – Added top entrance. Hive doing well. Good number as much activity. The super has not been worked yet. All foundation is still just sitting there. Not sure what they are doing in there.
6/23/12 – super has not been drawn out. Foundation untouched. Don’t understand why. Only hive at site without top entrance. Not going nearly as well as 1111.
5/11/12 – Added one shallow super to top of this stack.
5/4/12 – Huge amount of activity. Most active hive at the site. Needs supered.
3/21/12 – Removed AB21, Mouse Guard, and IPM Plastic Sheet, varroa were present, but few. Reversed two deeps then nadired a deep beneath both. Looking solid. Doing better than the hives at HS04
2/28/12 – Visited after work. Activity! May have overwintered.
10/25/11 – AG on inside of box. Not much buildup in top deep. Good numbers of bees. Placed Attic Box, mouse guard, and corrugated plastic under hive. Poor probability of overwintering.
9/12/11 – AG – Bottom box completely full. Put on top deep. Gave 2 deep frames frozen honey.
8/29/11 – Hive performing well, good queenright activity.
Hived 8/4/11
Moved to hive site 8/3/11
Genesis: TRAP12 From home back in back Maple tree ~7/25
1111 – Hive Site 5
2012-09-30 – Hive visited. Installed mouse guard and corrugated plastic for winter. Appeared to have the least amount of activity of all hives on this day.
6/23/12 – Doing Great, Super full except for 1 frame on both ends. Put a medium under the super. Med had 3 frames with foundation with the rest wo foundation. Bees are using the Top entrance a lot. Strongest hive at this site.
5/20/12 – This hive currently has a super on it that is almost all the way full uncapped honey.
5/11/12 – added one shallow super to top of this stack.
5/4/12 – Good activity. Lots of Pollen entering hive. Not quite as active as 1110. Needs supered.
3/21/2012 – Removed AB19, mouse guard, and IPM plastic, varroa were present, but sparse. Ultimate box only activity on center two combs. Reversed with penultimate and nadired a deep under both. Doing better than the hives at HS04 In this hive I have placed follower boards in both the penultimate and bottom deeps. The ultimate deep has 10 frames.
2/28/2012 – Visited after work. Activity! May have overwintered.
10/25/11 – AG on inside of box. Only about 3 frames completed in top deep. Bees look healthy no pests seen. Box, mouse guard, and corrugated plastic under hive. Poor probability of overwintering.
9/12/11 – AG – Bottom box lacking being all drawn out by 1 frame. Put on top deep (Previously known as 1112A). Gave 1 deep frame frozen honey. Well worked comb in deep. Numbers have increased.
8/29/11 – Not as active as 1110, but still look and act queenright.
8/4/11 Hived
8/3/11 Moved to hive site
Genesis: TRAP06 From Ellie and Daryl’s ~ 7/30
1201 - Hive Site 3
10/11/2012 18:23 There are no inspection holes on this hive. At this time mouse guard and corrugated plastic are being installed. Bees could be heard on inside of hive indicating high population. configuration D/D/TE.
7/12/12 – Added top entrance. Much capped honey at the top of the ultimate deep. Hive doing well many bees in the box.
6/23/12 – Doing well. Top box fully drawn. Did not Remove top box.
5/25 – Still has not filled out top deep all the way. Good activity. Definitely not filled out to the degree of 1202.
5/11 – Still did not have the entire top filled out. Under supered another deep under it anyway.
Genesis: 4/30/12 Swarm call from the same place that 1005 came from. Got a call in the afternoon. Shook off of a cedar branch. Second hive was caught at the same place 15 minutes later. Taken directly to HS03. This hive has follower boards in it.
1202 – Hive Site 2 –> Hive Site 04 - SHB
2012-09-30 – Hive activity good. The smell of curing Goldenrod was prevalent around hive. Hive Configuration D/D/D/D/TE.
8/23/12 – checked, The top deep is not totally filled out as of yet. Next spring 1 of the frames should be removed and everything re-spaced so that the bees go ahead and pull out these frames.
6/20/12 – Moved to HS04 to combine with what was left from 1103. That will be done on 6/24
5/25/12 – This hive is loaded with brood. Haven’t started building in bottom deep yet, but the top is almost totally full wall to wall with capped brood. Stole a comb of brood for the box of bees that has no queen. Came from the firehouse bees. I don’t like how follower boards are working out. The bees built comb against it and it makes it hard to get the frames out.
5/12/12 – Placed a second box underneath with follower boards.
Genesis: 4/30/12 – Came from same site as 1005. Second swarm from the same place on the same day. Other hive was 1201
1203 - Hive Site 5
2012-09-30 – Hive visited Corrugated plastic and mouse guard installed. Mainly using bottom entrance. Activity good appears to be doing well. Configuration D/D/S/TE.
6/23/12 – Super almost full of capped honey. Numbers look good.
5/20 – Added a super D/T honey dome being in place at ultimate deep. Hive very strong.
Genesis: Captured swarm from Trap18. Taken to HS05 on 5/5/12. The trap was pretty light
1204 – Hive Site 6
9/29/12 – Changed to top entrance. No sign of top hive beetles. Bees very small, but the numbers are awesome. Put mouse guard on, corrugated plastic added.
6/2/12 – Activity good / Excellent. A lot of bright yellow pollen coming in, making honey. I can hear from the tone of the hive they are doing well.
Genesis: Trap15 Hived 5/12/12. Small hive beetles present. Largest swarm caught to date for 2012.
1205 – Hive Site 07
5/25 – Added shallow super. Ultimate deep drawn all the way out. Honey dome present. Did not remove ultimate deep. Top entrance being used almost exclusively. This group of bees has many different casts of workers.
Genesis: Trap02 Hived 5/16 Large group. Started with top entrance.
1206 – Hive Site 07
5/25/12 – Continues to build. Good looking group of bees will probably not get a super this year.
Genesis: Trap07 Hived 5/16 – Small group of bees.
1207 – Hive Site 07
Genesis: Trap22 Hived 5/25/12 Small group
1208 – Hive Site 1
2012-09-30 – Hive visited. Installed mouse guard and corrugated plastic for winter. Hive has not been using top entrance at all. There is a major traffic jam as the bees are trying to get into the now occluded entrance.
8/23/12 – Checked. Things looked good. This hive probably could have gotten yet another deep or perhaps a super. There was extensive comb built on the bottom of the inner cover.
5/17 – Hived 5/17/12. Good looking group. Capped brood already present on hiving. All 8 frames had comb built. Hived on a pretty windy day. Top entrance placed on hive.
Genesis: Came from Trap19.
1209 – Hive Site – 06
9/29/12 – Put in mouse guard. Doing well, but not as well as 1204.
Genesis: Trap03 Moved to site 6/2/12. Hived: 6/4/12 All six frames drawn. Much capped brood present. No hive beeltes seen. Bees are large. Did not need to cut any comb. Clean transfer.
1210 – Hive Site – 08
6/23/12 – Checked. + for brood and larvae. Sealed brood in box. Activity good. When hived this must have been a virgin queen.
5/16/12 - when hived no queen seen, no brood, no eggs. Will not give this hive a number yet.
Genesis: Trap 25 Picked up on 5/13/12 Saw no pollen entering trap prior to pickup. Moved to Hive Site 8 5/14/12. Encouraged by activity, but still no pollen.
1211 – Hive Site 02
10/15/2012 17:09 – cool today but there is activity at this time. These bees are using the top entrance and the bottom entrance. This hive will moved this week. Drones were seen trying to gain admission. Repeatedly I saw him being rejected. Configuration D/D/D/D/TE.
10/7/2012 - hive has done well since being combined. In need of mouse Guard. Current hive configuration D/D/D/D/TE
9/30/12 – Doing well. Very populous hive.
******************POST COMBINATION ABOVE **************
7/22/12 – Did a minimal inspection. Many of the rubber bands have been removed out the front of the hive. The outer and inner covers were removed. Bands were still present on the top frames, but they had been severed. No frames were removed because it still didn’t look as though the comb was affixed well. Will wait approximately 1 more week to go through and look for a queen, eggs, larvae, queen cells. In the event none are found this hive will be combined with the hive it is setting on top of.
Genesis: This hive was cut-out of a crawl-space of a doublewide. Found out about it from MC. The bees were vacuumed using MB’s bee Vac. 8 frames were filled with comb held in by rubber bands.
COMBINED WITH
7/8/12 – Did a cutout a MC’s. Bees were placed in two deep boxes atop of this hive. Later they will be combined into one tall 4 deep hive.
7/5/12 – inspected there was capped brood AND ALSO A CAPPED QUEEN CELL.
Genesis: Part of firehouse bees given comb with eggs from 1202 on 5/25 in hopes that they can make a new queen
