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...

Foragers Returning Home...

Yesterday, I saw several returning bees with white globules of pollen sticking on their hind legs, and decided to film them.  It was the first time I saw some bees bringing home some pollen after I installed the duplication hive.  And I think they found a lot of pollen yesterday and took advantage of the short sunny hours they had. They are coming from the left, where the hive entrance is, and will head towards the right where their actual hive is.  The bees do not march directly towards the hive, but instead walked back and forth around the tube before finally making their way into the hive.  It could be that they are telling the other bees where they found the pollen grains, but I am not entirely sure.  Whatever their reason, I had fun watching them.

Stingless bee returning home with pollen grains

Video Clip:  Part 1

Video Clip:  Part 2

One Week Into the Hive Duplication...

So far so good.  The duplication hive is now part of the colony's daily life.  I took a peek inside the duplication hive and there was heavy traffic inside the tube.  Some bees are exploring the outside of the tube.  I think there is one bee sealing the gaps between the tube and the entrance hole of the hive.  Let's see if there will be a build-up of propolis in the next few days.  There is also one bee walking on the platform but very close to the tube.  So the bees are exploring, which is good to see.  I've read an article about a hive duplication process in which the bees started annexing the duplication box as their storage room within two weeks.  But the actual building of brood chamber may take as long as 3 years. That is too long for me to wait. If nothing much happen in two weeks, I think I will gradually start removing the orange tube inside.  My plan is to cut the middle of the tube to create a very small gap.  I will then gradually increase the gap as bees learn to move across the platform.  Hopefully, I will end up with two short tubes at either end of the the hive.

Reference:

Eduction Method (Hive Duplication) PDF file

Natural Hive Duplication (or Eduction): An Alternative Method of Propagating Australian Stingless Bees