Hives #2 & #3 are good and strong. #3 must be pushing the 55,000 be mark... it's INSANE!!! I think I commented in one of my posts that when I did my inspections last Saturday and too the upper deep off they poured out of the bottom deep like water overflowing from a glass. We did take the entrance reducers out... they can clearly defend the hive.
I'll be doing my inspections tomorrow, probably, but I need some advice to go in prepared with...
4 or so weeks ago I added the second deep. I put it on top, not under, but eggs and larva are present in the upper deep and they are slowly building out the comb.
I took a look a little while ago in through the entrances of #2 & #3... there are "millions" of bees in the entrance. They're not bearding on the outside at all, but the entrance is JAM PACKED on the inside with bees. There were a bunch in the upper deep last weekend when I inspected... but not nearly what I would have expected based on how the bottom looks. It's 75-deg F out and a bit humid. Could they be over heating, but not fanning? What's going on? I couldn't get a clear picture with my phone, but will see what I can do with the camera tomorrow.
The bottom board is screened, but sealed at the moment with 1/2 insulation board. I will be putting MAQS (formic acid) pads into both these hive tomorrow, if that makes any difference to what you may suggest.
~Cpn
