2nd Hive Body Added (ALREADY!) to Hive #1 and Misc Pics

Based on what I saw yesterday in Hive #1 -- there were 6 of 8 frames fully drawn into comb -- I decided this morning to add a 2nd hive body.

No book or site I've read has said that it should be done this early... It's only been a Week since Installation... WAAAY early... But every book & site says that when this many frames have fully drawn comb, it's time to add.

No super-exciting pics of this. Given that there was some weird comb-drawing going on, figured I might have some 'bee space violations' happening, so in the 2nd box I put in 9-frames -- Mann Lake's 8-frame boxes have room for 9-frames -- and I read on other blogs and sites that 9 frames can be used in their boxes.

Later, when the Honey Supers go on, I'm planning on using only 8 frames spaced evenly apart, so the comb will be fatter!

Hive #1 - Body #2 -- Experimenting : 8 of the 9 frames are frame-less -- only one wax-wired frame in the center.

I had a hard time moving around yesterday during inspection, so I asked my father if he would mind cutting a few more branches away from the Mesquite tree to make some more room.... He was happy to!

As mentioned, nothing too exciting to see when I installed the 2nd Hive body... I donned my Bee Helmet, put on a Long-Sleeved shirt & out I went with the new Body & more Sugar Syrup (food) in tow.

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Why are You Taking So Many Pictures I've been Recently Asked...
Ever since my Nonno (Italian for Grandfather) passed a few months ago, I decided to take more pics of what is going on in my life. I took my camera with me when I went to visit my Grandparents... He passed while I was there that visit & I had never taken out my camera, nor took picture when I had a chance... I won't let something like that happen again!!!!
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Here are pics of today's events...

First Hive Inspection Complete... Mixed Bag

Well, thanks to wind gusts of 30mph+ yesterday, I decided to wait until this afternoon during lunch-break to inspect the hives.

Hive #1, the one I thought had a messy installation, is THRIVING....

Hive #2 has a lot fewer bees, is drawing out the wax differently (and not very much by comparison), and sounds differently than Hive #1...

I was unable to locate the Queen in either hive, nor was I sure I found any eggs... LOL!

I'll have to take longer next week to check a lot more closely...

What can I say, I was nervous!!!

Here's some pics :

1st Hive Inspection... Later Today...

Time for my 1st hive inspection... It'll be a week & now time to do my 1st hive inspection. I'm a bit nervous... I did have to open the hives a few days ago as I freaked that I had put the queen cages in wrong... I didn't, but did find the Queens had already emerged from their cages. I'm a bit worried they released too soon, so, later today, I'll know for sure...

Hive #2 Installation - Pics Only

Installation of Bee-Hive #2 went much better than 1st Installation... Difference this time : I sprayed down the inside of the hive walls and frames with sugar water 1st & made sure I shook well... Shook a little too well, however -- My helmet flew off! :D

Bee Installation - Hive #1 - 4:35pm - April 18, 2013

WARNING... Lots of pics!

OK, I'll admit I was VERY NERVOUS during the 1st hive installation...

It, overall, did not look a thing like most of the videos I've watched on Youtube!!!!!!!!! LOL!

1st... Thanks Mom for taking almost all of these pics coming up & thanks Dad for taking this very 1st picture!

PICS:

Separating the 2 packages from each-other

Good dousing of sugar-water

Smacked them down & sprayed again... 1st Mistake : I didn't spray them heavily enough!!

Time to Take out the Feed Can... and Pour --

Now here's where I made my biggest mistake... I didn't smack them down hard enough or shake them into the hive vigorously enough! I was just too dang gentle! :)

More shaking... The bees are going EVERYWHERE!

Time to place the frames back in & put the Queen in the center...

Yes, I was nervous, but I did remember to take the cork out & put a marshmallow in the Queen Cage... Even managed not to let the Queen escape in my Nervousness!

Top feeder went on & then the cover... No pics for that.

Well because I felt dejected that the bees were going allover the place I then took over taking pics...

I was going to wait until tomorrow night to Install the 2nd Package, since the 1st Installation didn't go so hot...

I ended up being wrong... I went out to check a couple of hours later & all those bees made it from the box into the hive... It was a Beautiful Sound and Sight!!!

The 2nd Installation, done at 6:45pm went MUCH better... I'll post about that tomorrow... Time to get some sleep now!!!

Bee Installation Day -- Final Prep

After squirting & mounting waxes since 7am this morning, I decided I'd better get going on finishing up the hives...

Time to wax the top bars of the foundation-less frames.. I melted some of the wax harvested from the original, wild hives (see earlier post for wax pics)... Hope I did this right!

Then jotted down which frames had foundation (W) & which did not -- so I'll know when harvesting which ones to later expect to have wires in them...

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Several hours later (~4pm)... Had to get some work done, ya know....

Time to get the hives back together & get them outside... My father set up a wind-break for them early this morning.

Also time to take off all of the wood supports from the bee-hives. Man, they really packed these up nicely! I decided to keep the top crosspiece in place to make transport down to the hive location easier...

Installation coming up...

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Caught my dad in the act of talking to the chickens...

Bees Just Arrived - 6pm - April 17, 2013

Bees Just arrived & man are they PISSED!!!

Time for some sugar water....

Now I'm getting a bit nervous!!!!

:D
==Michelle

I Bee Excited! - Bees Arriving Today

Well, at long last the bee packages will be arriving today...

Yep, not yesterday like the pic says - LOL!


In between squirting & mounting waxes for my 'real' job, I'll be putting the final touches on the hives by waxing the bars & installing some wax sheets -- Yes I did break down & purchased some wired sheets ... I do love experimenting, so I'll only be interspersing the sheets with the plain bars.

Just finished whipping up a batch of 1:1 Sugar Water to spray on those lovelies as soon as they arrive.

Supposed to wait until nightfall tomorrow to install them -- I guess I better start trying on the gear & see how to light the smoker!



Will be back later with some pics when they arrive.