I checked the hives today. The 4 week old split is doing great with lots of brood and drawn comb, very gentle as well.
The "mother hive" however was a different story. Although very active and full of honey, the bees were quite aggresive and started pinging me right off the bat. I thought I'd better dig a little deeper to find out what would make a normally calm hive react like that and on the third frame in I found it....a mud dobber's(Dirt dauber to some) nest right on the frame! I opened this hive 2 weeks ago and it wasn't there then so this (these?) wasp(s) have been busy.
I would have thought that the bees would repel the wasp(s) but it looks like they just stood there and watched it happen. It appears as if they actually capped the wasp brood with wax!
Anyone else ever have this happen?
Peace be yours,
Scott