Depressed

[bassman1977]

I just got back from doing inspections today.  Seems the weather really has put a curb on honey production.  Nearly all of the honey in hive 1 is devoured and the honey supply in hive two is deminishing steadily also.  Brood and eggs are plentiful as usual and they are bringing in a ton of pollen right now.  It's now to the point where they are bringing in as much pollen as they did nectar during peak flow.  Clover is all gone for the most part.  Alfalfa should be flowering soon.  I have to see what kind of results that will give me, but I don't think much nectar.  Just more pollen.  My worry now is whether or not they will create enough honey for themselves to winter on.    Both hives have plenty of space.  Hive 1 is still pumping out comb but it has seemed to slow to a halt in #2.  Guess we'll have to wait and see.

[Phoenix]

Nearly all of the honey in hive 1 is devoured and the honey supply in hive two is deminishing steadily also.

Keep in mind it takes one cell of honey and one cell of pollen to feed each larva being reared.  If you recently had an increase in your hive numbers, that's where the honey went.  You also need to keep in mind there might be a lull in the nectar supply at this time due to lack of bloom around you or lack of rain to produce the nectar.  

I wouldn't worry too much until you get your first frost.  If you are concerned at that time that the colony might not have enough to make it through the winter, feed them.  Until then if the hive numbers keep growing I wouldn't fret.

Hive 1 is still pumping out comb but it has seemed to slow to a halt in #2.

Again I wouldn't worry too much, the bees know what they are doing, we can't impose our expectations upon them.

If their is a noticable difference in the size of the two colonies, I would swap locations of each hive and allow them to equalize.