Bees Got Fed Up With My Experiment...

This morning, I pulled out the tube I re-attached yesterday to serve as flight tube for the bees.  Same as yesterday, the end of the tube was completely sealed.

tube on the right was pulled out this morning.  it
was also completely sealed barring access to the original
hive entrance.

The moment I removed the tube, the bees started sealing the opening of the coconut shell. Well, at least the bees inside are ok.  It's just that they do not want to use the front door anymore.  The new entrance I found yesterday at the rear right of the box was also sealed.  Around 6:30 PM, the bees have almost completely sealed the front door.  Now, it will be difficult for me to conduct an Eduction method as I have no more control over the front door.  The bees just won't pass there anymore.  It will be useless if I continue to attach the duplication hive there.  There won't be any traffic.

around 10 am...

around 4:30 pm...

around 6:30 pm...

The bees decided (I think..) to move their main operation at the rear left portion of the hive.  There is some sort of another entrance there when I first got the hive.  When I notice there was an increase activity there, I put a coconut shell near that area hoping the bees will use it for storage.

But they hardly used it.  Up to now, they have not sealed the small hole on the coconut shell.

Now, there is an increased activity in that area and increase build-up of propolis.  However, I don't think I can easily connect a duplication hive here.  So, Bees 1, Beekeeper 0.

Hive Duplication 3rd Attempt... FAILED!!!

I am sad to say that my third attempt at hive duplication again ended in failure.  I can only think of two reasons why: (a) the foreign propolis I put in the duplication hive, and (b) I kept on opening the lid of the duplication hive to see what is going on.  Personally, my bet is the former.  When I put the propolis, there was a change in behavior of the bees.  They began building structure on the plastic tube.  At first, I thought it was good, that they may be annexing the duplication hive.  I was so wrong.

8/17/2014... bees began adding propolis on the tube near
the hive entrance.

8/18/2014... propolis continue to buildup.

8/19/2014... the structure soon dip
downward.

8/25/2014... It is then a bit clear what the bees are up to...
they were reducing the hive entrance to a crawl size, or so
I thought...

8/25/2014... heavy traffic, but I thought this was normal
as I have observed it before there was a build-up of
propolis.  

While I was taking some videos the other day, I began to get worried.  There was heavy traffic.  I thought it was normal at first because there were lots of pollen carriers walking around the inside of the tube and I have observed it before the bees reduced the hive entrance.  But then, I saw 2-3 pollen carriers traced their step back out of the hive and flew out again.  That was not good I thought.  Back then, when there is a heavy traffic, pollen carriers always managed to get back inside the actual hive.  I can't remember if it is also on this same day or this morning that I noticed that there seem to be some activity going at the back of the hive. It looks like a new hive entrance.  That was already there when I first got the hive but they have closed it.

This morning there was light traffic in the tube.  A bit unusual.  There is usually heavy traffic in the morning. Then at noon, when I checked again, there was no traffic at all!  A few hours later, still no traffic.  Then, at the new entrance at the back, there seem to be quite a few bees flying around.  Then I thought, the bees might have completely sealed off the connecting tube!

8/27/2014... disconnecting the duplication hive...

Poking gently with a stick...

Something seems to be blocking the whole inside of the
tube... it can not be... my heart began to sink...

My fear materialized when I pulled the tube off the coconut shell.  The bees sealed off the main hive blocking anything going through the duplication hive.  Their initial action to reduce the size of the duplication hive entrance was not enough they had to seal the main hive and possibly make a new entrance at the back of the hive.  I have read an account of bees sealing of the main hive from the duplication hive, but this happened when a new colony was already established in the duplication hive.

I removed the end part of the tube that has been sealed and re-attached the tube back to the coconut.  But the bees have already decided not to use the tube again.  I took a peek inside the tube and the bees were already more than halfway finished resealing.  By the time I finished this blog, I am sure the bees should be finished re-sealing the tube.  Unfortunately, there seems to be some conflict going around the new hive entrance at the back.  Some returning bees are being attacked by the guard bees, though I have yet to see some fatal attacks.  The bees get dazed, but no dead bees yet.  I took a video of what looks like an aerial "dog fight".  You will see bees pulling each other other straight down.  It happened several times.  I hope the bees are just playing and there will be no dead bees on the roof tomorrow morning.

Bees Starting to Build Some Structure in the Duplication Hive?!?

A few days ago, I brought home some pieces of propolis from the stingless bees' nest that we relocated at Cavite State University.

I put some pieces inside my duplication hive at home.  (I was originally planning to put a piece of brood chamber that I accidentally broke from the main hive, but I told myself no cheating... so I settled for some pieces of the hive instead).  These propolis immediately caught the attention of the bees and many climbed out of the orange tube and began exploring the four corners of the hive.  It must be the scent of honey, the remaining pollen grains, and/or the pheromones, that have attracted the bees.  It was like a playground to them.

Photo taken 3 days ago, 8/14/2014...

The photo below was taken this afternoon.  Notice the build-up of propolis along the edges (where the tube was cut in half  to provide an opening) ?

Photo taken earlier today, 8/17/2014

A closer look shows the bees have started filling up the ridges of the tube and it looks like they are extending it further.  I have a feeling that the bees have decided to annex the duplication hive and they are building a bridge to connect the hive and the piece of propolis at the lower left part of the hive.  This morning, I was planning on removing the tube little by little.  But I got up late and when I looked inside, the tube was already with crawling bees eager to go out.

For now, I think I will leave the bees and the tube alone for a while and observe what will happen next.  As of now, the bees do not show any sign of aggression every time I open the lid of the duplication hive so I can watch them and take photos and videos.

Here is one friendly or very curious bee that feerlessly
climbed up my finger...

Just a short video clip.

Stingless Bees at CVSU are Busier than Ever...

More than a week after the relocation, the bees are busy building their hives again.  I was thinking of using the piece of brood that was broken on my duplication hive experiment but the bees have already built some propolis over it and probably glued it to their hive.

This was during the transfer.  I placed the broken brood at
the upper left corner...

This is the same corner a week after...

Here are some more photos....

Bees built some strange looking light brown or golden
structures over their hive. Reminds me potato chips...
looks good to eat.

Some bees still linger around the remains of their old hive.

Here is a short clip... can't take longer video cause the bees are getting crossed...

My First Solo Stingless Bee Relocation

The first time I set foot on Cavite State University, I was already looking for stingless bees.  I immediately found one among the white anthuriums lining the wall of the Agri Building.  I did not waste time and started asking everyone I met if they have seen any stingless bee nests around the campus.  About 2 weeks ago, or may be three, my inquiry finally led me to an abandoned stingless bee apiary.  I got an unofficial blessing from one of the school director to rehabilitate the apiary... actually his apiary.  It may be unofficial, but I was also promised some support for my unofficial school project, which is more than what I was asking.  And so went I, to NCRDEC area and found the lost apiary!    And today, I relocated my first stingless bee nest!  It was supposed to be last week but we had such a awful weather.  It was only last Wednesday that the sky finally cleared.  And up to now, we had 3 consecutive days of very fine weather.

NCRDEC Vermi-Composting area... nest?!? where?!?

Let's move in closer...

Buried for 3 years or even more... felt like an archeologist
unearthing an artifact... carefully brushed off the dirt
around the rotten box hive.

The hive entrance...

Bees started to swarm like crazy around me the moment I
pried the box open...

I am glad I sealed the top of my veil with duct tape...

Doing my best not to freak out...

Ooops!  I accidentally broke the lower part of the brood
while trying to pry away the earthworm off the hive...

Can't decide what to do or where to put the broken piece...

Finally, the hive is in the box...

Ooops again! forgot to return some of the honey and
back... 

I thought the bees need the honey more than we do to
survive the rainy season... we will just wait for the summer...

Now I can relax...

Sir Ed... he built the platform and took
my photos... thank you very much!

Honey taste great! Very good consistency, not too watery...
I think the thickness was just right... the spider says so too...
I did not know spider also loves honey!

I think I will go back for the broken brood and use it for an

experiment I have in mind... hmmmm....

Now, I have two hives to take care of.... now for the second nest...