Probably too late to capture the colony no. 2 due to a natural swarming out of the barn wall.
My hopes for bees from out of the masonry diminished yesterday.
A trap hive was hauled to the top of a ladder, set against the barn and a mesh funnel deployed over the colony exit. Wasps were seen raiding the depleted nest. A colony defenceless compared to the week before.
Meanwhile the Cathedral Top Bar Hive thrives. The following video shows all the bars removed except those holding comb. The two jars of syrup have just been re-filled and the varroa tray beneath the wire mesh floor temporarily removed, to allow some bees to escape. They had somehow found a way under, despite my best efforts to make it proof against such an event.
Apologies for the noisy clicking camera focus.
The combs nearest the camera are relatively new, those farthest away and now expanded almost the full extent of the width available, contain brood and will soon be hatching the worker bees that will hopefully overwinter through to early spring of next year. Five combs just two weeks ago have expanded and seven combs are showing - probably double the overall comb area.
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