It tell ya, that West hive is the most aggressive swarm of bees I have ever encountered....yes, I used the word aggressive. I normally call bees defensive, because that is how they react, but this hive is something else. Dawn and I suited up to check the candy boards and see how much they have eaten. The bees were taking advantage of the break in the weather and were flying around the entrance a little bit. When Dawn raised the candy board we found the cluster right there, and it wasn't even 1 second before several score of bees took to flight and immediately started going after our veils. They went after us like a gun shot! Dawn was a bit unnerved, but held her own. They had eaten quite a bit of the sugar, so I replaced the board with a fresh one. I'm pretty sure I want to replace that queen this spring...This hive has been increasingly problematic since the late summer and I'm getting fed up with them. A new queen sounds like the answer I need.
This Candy Board Started as 10 Pounds of Sugar on November 6th
Up Close and Personal with the West Hive Bees
After Dawn headed back home, I worked in the wood shop and assembled a few more medium hive boxes. I need to find a nice and warm location this winter where I can paint the boxes.
Boxes Ready for Painting
The Cluttered Worshop
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