After contacting the beekeeping forum in my area it is possible that either (a) Queen Beatrix isn't dead but is getting ready to swarm or (b) she is dead and the bees are making a new queen and getting ready to swarm. Either way, the important part is "getting ready to swarm." This is something that I unrealistically hoped I wouldn't have to deal with. Regardless, the advice was to make more room in the hive and create a nuc, or smaller colony, with the queen cells so that they would have a new place to go and the hive would have less incentive to swarm.
While I'm waiting for my nuc box to arrive, there wasn't any time to spare as they could hatch a new queen and swarm any day. So I converted a paper box to my purposes: created ledges on which the top bars would rest, covered the side holes and cut out a door.
Nuc Box |
In the hive, I moved everything forward and found a few interesting things. For example, a comb that had absolutely no top bar. That's currently sitting in a bowl under the hive in the hopes that the bees eventually leave it at nightfall and I can get the honey out of it. Also, a small colony of large ants living behind the false back. As soon as I released them, the bees attacked them with a loud and angry buzzing. It was amazing to watch.
Sting count: 0
Total sting count: 4
I got one pint of honey from that comb which is set aside in case the hive needs it back.
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