For the record: Task list 2 May 2010

Task list:

Red hive (east)

1. lift off top

2. lift off inner cover, flip and reverse so hole is at top back when it goes back on

3. lift off top box making sure to pass metal between the boxes in case glued together

4. lift off bottom box, not placing it on top of top box, because we will reverse positions of the boxes

5. lift off bottom board and scrub it with wire brush onto newspaper on wheelbarrow

6. replace bottom board reversed front to back which is to say, opening at the rear of the hive

7. place screen board on top of bottom board

As swarm prevention measure

(A) we will reverse the positions of the two brood boxes and destroy any obvious queen cells and so

8. place top brood box on screen board, so it is now the bottom box, having glanced at the bottom of the box and destroyed any fat cells hanging down AND place the entrance reducer in summer position or not at all.

Next, as a swarm prevention measure

(B), we will remove/replace four centre frames from the top box so

9. Place the formerly-bottom brood box on top of the formerly top brood box, and from this now top box, remove four centre frames and replace with one marked frame of unraised drone comb, and three empty deep frames

10. place queen excluder

11. place an empty honey super with frames

12. place the inner cover having ensured that the hole formerly facing down at the front, is now facing up at the back (which is to say, in the summer position so they don’t use this as an entrance or exit)

13. place the outer cover

14. put bricks on top

For the new “yellow” hive (west)

15. lift off the hive (might be able to do this in one piece, but might have to take it apart because too heavy)

16. reverse the bottom board so the opening is at the rear; this should be pretty clean, but if not, brush it off into the newspaper lined wheelbarrow

17. place the screen board on the bottom board

18. put the brood box on the screen board and place the summer-width entrance

19. give the hive the second brood box containing a marked frame of undrawn drone comb

20. place the queen excluder

21. place a honey super

22. place the inner cover with the hole at the back facing up

23. place the top, with

24. bricks on top

for both hives,

25. & 26. place Crisco slathered file folders under the hives for a varroa count.

Mark on calendar when to remove the frames of drone comb.