Commenting on Bob's post of a record honey crop on a single hive.
In 2003 I purchased some hives from a retiring beekeeper who is a
close friend of mine. In the spring we culled comb from them and
equalized them after wintering over. Each hive in my operation is
assigned a number and we track information in a database. My notes
from that day of equalizing noted a particular hive #502 had a
tremendous amount of brood for late April here in Mn like 2 deeps and
a supers worth!.
Anyhow that #502 hive put on 13 boxes of honey that summer , 10
were 6 5/8 and 3 were deeps. Some of the supers had new
foundation.
My beekeeper friend and I both use Strachan NWC queens but we're
not entirely sure if she was a swarm cell queen or one directly from
Strachans. She just came along with the hives I purchased
The bees in that hive are a bit hot as compared to other carniolans we
run but not red-line. I notice they are prolific wax and comb builders
too.
In the following 2 years that hive out performed by a factor of 2 or 3
times all other hives in that yard but did not come close to that 2003
crop. As I wrapped my bees this fall she is still alive and the hive looks
well. I really should have done something with her.....
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