Hive 06 [France, Brittany]

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Empty hive placed at 3 meters above ground level to attract a swarm.
Entrance facing south.

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Yesterday, I put a rather small swarm in this hive.

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The bees are still in the hive. Worker bees bring home some pollen.

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I opend the hive today, nearly 5 weeks later to population.
Everything seems to bee all right.

Video documentary :

Observations:

• Caterpillars in the hive roof.

• Combs have been extended into the entire hive body. Large amount of capped brood. The last comb is attached to the queen excluder at one position.

• Some comb has been started (but discontinued ?) in the honey frame. No comb in the back.

• The queen excluder is propolised in the borders.

• I had to use some smoke to calm the bees.

• Some dead bees squased by the frame.

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During last week I observed significantely reduced foraging activity compared to the weeks before.
I am surprised by this as Castanea sativa is flowering nearby and during last inspection there was a lot of capped brood of worker bees. In contract to Hive 01, bees also dont cluster outside the hive despite the hot weather.

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Bees are clustering outside the hive entrance. One Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) next to the hive.

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Hive inspection video :

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I repeatedly observed Vespa velutina hunting next to the hive entrance during last weeks.

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Increased preasure of Vespa velutina.
I observed up to four individuals at a time next to the hive entrance and signs of rivality.
Some bees cluster next to the entrance.
In contrast to Hive 01, bees don't reduce the entrance size and forage activity is increased.

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Vespa velutina is still there. I also observed repeatedly the European hornest (Vespa crabro, see photo).

The video below was taken on 9 September 2018 at 3 o'clock in the afternoon of a sunny day.
During about 20 minutes bees were flying around next to the hive. Before and after that, activity was much lower. Some guard bees clustered around the entrance and low forage activity.

Video :