Alexis Hive First Inspection

I hived a package ten days ago into this hive I call Alexis after my granddaughter. I checked that the queen had been released at day three. Upon inspecting today I find that all is going quiet well. I found a lot of eggs with a good pattern and also capped brood. About six of the ten frames have been drawn out with comb. I am feeding with sugar water and the hive in on jar two, so they have used less then a gallon of liquid. Plan on checking again in seven to ten days.

Bees Going Off to Work

I don't think I could have a Blog about beekeeping without showing where the bees go off to each day to work.

Shipping Packaged Bees

This is a picture of the package that the bees for the Alexis Hive was shipped in. When I picked the bees up at the Post Office a lot of customers that was in line behind me took a few steps back. Many said they had no idea that bees wre shipped thru the mail. Going to the car with my bundle people actually got back in their cars till I passed. As you can see this is a very sturdy container. Anywhere on the wood that has a knot in it the shipper has placed a cloth screen over the knot in case the knot worked loose during shipping. This package came from southeast Georgia and arrived at my location in two days. The can you see is filled with sugar water that the bees feed on during shipping. The Queen is kept to herself till the other bees get adjusted to her presence. I feel the Postal Service does a good job when it comes to shipping bees. You can bet they will call you to come and get them as soon as they arrive.

Second Hive Inspection-Observation

Grandson and I did our second inspection of the Nicholas Hive today. Things looked great. The second brood box is now full of new capped brood with honey at the top and sides for store. Bottom box still has honey and the bees are now cleaning those cells for new eggs to be laid in. The top brood box is seven tenths drawn out with new bees and larva. We added a queen excluder and our first honey super. You would think we would have found the queen in the top box where there was new eggs,instead she was running around on a frame in the second box.I would go to show her to grandson and she would run down the frame under the frame to the other side,I would turn the frame over and she would do the same thing.We played this game three times with the same results.I think we set our hives behind when we open them for inspection. One the light has to be tough when they are always working in the dark and second we give them the appearence of their house on fire when we use smoke. I may be thinking this thing to much and she may have just been heading down to first brood box to start laying again.

More Pics of Installation

Installing a Package

Bees came to Post Office this morning and I got the call to please come and get them. Installed around noon when it started to warm up. Sprayed them down good with sugar water. Took queen cage out of package to see her condition and all was well. Put a small hole in candy end of cage so other bees will have a easy time getting her out. Placed the cage between frames and then dumped bees in, three pounds is a lot of bees. They were very calm no problems. Put jar feeder on and closed up hive. Will check on queen to see if she is out in a few days. Put cage in front of hive so those that stayed in can come out later.

Skunk Guard

I now have second hive ready for bees that are coming this week. I noticed on the first hive mud smudges on the landing board. I made some skunk guards for both hives. Skunks are known to be in the area.

First Hive Inspection

First off , of the twelve days that the hive has had bees installed ten of those days here in Knoxville have been very rainey. I have to say the hive is doing very well, not to my doing becaus I could go back tomorrow and they might all be gone. The nuc I purchased from Michael Wilson of Rose Comb Apiary was outstanding. I got much more for my money then what I actually paid. The bees are very calm and gentle. Just what a new beekeeper as myself needs. I look forward to twelve days of good weather to see how the bees produce. In one of the pictures you can see the Queen hard at work.

I have been feeding since day one and they have been consuming about a gallon of sugar water every two days. I will continue to feed untile they refuse to feed and go to nectar.

I saw many eggs laid in a good pattern and also larva. Bees were doing so well I have added the third mediumn brood box. I plan on using three med. boxes for brood before adding supers.

Installed Nuc

Got the nuc of bees today and installed them into hive after letting them rest from the trip in the trunk of the car for about an hour. The rest time made all the difference in the world. They were very calm going into the hive. Started feeding them sugar water right off. My grandson was a big help in the installation process. Let you know how things are going in a week or so.