First year at this. I have a package I hived back in late May, has been doing real well, have one large brood box they filled in about July, added a medium box and a second medium box in late August.
So I go back in today to kind of see where they are at because I'd like to harvest a bit this year if possible. Open the top medium box and pull number 5 frame and there's Queenie in all her fuschia-dotted wonder....
So I go back through all the boxes... top box seems to be capped brood and honey around the edges; at about 50-60% capacity. Middle box is about the same but I start seeing pollen and capped brood that is really protruding. The chambers are pretty dark and some are empty. Also seem to be some that are "hanging". I'll try and post a pic. Also, they never finished off this middle box of frames- far ends are a bit sparse- so this is at about 80%.
Took a quick peak in the brood box (quick since at this point they are REALLY angry) and more of the same- empty chambers, scattered pollen and brood, honey on the end frames as I think it should be.
They apear to be doing real well numbers and activity-wise.
As I recall the bottom and middle frames seemed to have a whole lot more capped honey when I added the third box.
My average date for first frost is typically mid to late November. So what should I be doing to carry these guys into winter?