Beekeeping in the south still weird

[Understudy]

Well, I went into my hives today, just to check around.

I have a hive that is acting like they are in the middle of a dearth. The queen isn't laying. I had a small portion of one frame with emerging bees stuck halfway out. However there was no sign of varroa and there are plenty of frames with honey and pollen.

I picked up some queens and put them in the hive to start getting that hive to start adjusting to the fact that I am going to requeen that hive.

I have another hive that I put starter strips in a second hive box and added it about a month ago. They were a little slow to start drawing comb but I checked again today. All frames are fully drawn and getting filled with honey. Lots of brood in the lower box. Bees are working overtime on this one.

Hive 3 two weeks ago went from nuc to full hive. Working it like there was no tomorrow. They will be ready for another body in a week or two.

Hive four is doing well. The queen is not laying a lot but no signs of stress and there was some young larva. Seems to be in good shape.

Hive five was weird also. Not building on the starter strips. No real brood. But no signs of disease. I put a caged queen in the hive just in case I have to requeen.

There were no signs of Varroa in any of the hives. SHB was present in all the hives but not in horrible nasty numbers.

The queens I got are typical of what I use to dealing with. Dark and barely bigger than a worker. However they are definitly queens.

I know that the queens start cutting back on creating brood in some cases as it is getting closer to winter. So I am not to worried. each hive has at least three mediums or a deep and a medium. No sunken cells. I saw one cell with what I would consider chilled brood but it was only one cell and it was in hive 1.

If things follow as normal. The bees that are working it well will go year round. The hives that are starting to cut back will throw honey just about everywhere. And then a month later start building up when they don't find any snow.

There are more hives but they will get looked at later.

It's weird but that is beekeeping in the south.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[Gena]

Brendhan - Been reading your posts for awhile.  You mention your set up - do you use sbb and/or a slatted rack??  Thanks - Gena in SW LA

[JP]

Gena, congratulations on your first post! How are your hives doing?

[Understudy]

Brendhan - Been reading your posts for awhile.  You mention your set up - do you use sbb and/or a slatted rack??  Thanks - Gena in SW LA

I use Screened bottom boards and top entrances. I do not use slottedracks. Just don't have a need for them.

Sincerely,
Brendhan