This is a pretty good example of what you want your September bees to look like.
When removing drone brood from a few production hives yesterday, I noticed that I was attracting Yellowjackets to my pickup truck bed. These insects are both very hungry and attack in VERY large numbers this time of the year. In a bad year, I have seen them systematically take down a row of 5 production strong hives, one after the other.
I have had some success using baited traps in the Spring to catch the solo overwintering Queen Yellowjackets, thereby reducing to load of individuals available to attack my yards in the Fall.
This is what varroa look like when you remove frames of drone brood from the hive. The Varroa Mite (varroa destructor) breeds and feeds under the capped cells of honey bees. It prefers Drone Brood because drones take longer to develop in the pupa stage, and have more Fat Bodies. Beekeepers remove special frames of drone brood sized cells as a non-chemical means of controlling the mites in the hive. It is a labor intensive, but extremely effective method of reducing mite load.
This hive will be split. And just in time. Note the honey in the corners.
Not enough room for this rapidly growing time. Days still getting longer and just a month from the summer solstice. "shotgun" pattern of empty cells might be a sign of hygienic behavior. Busy time for beekeepers!!
