tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58122857026721754392024-03-05T10:23:01.166-08:00The Eye of the Bee HolderFreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-64317283797355585052010-01-05T17:57:00.000-08:002010-01-05T18:01:57.554-08:00Urban Beekeeping Webinar<a href="http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/">Brushy Mountain Bee Farm</a> is offering a webinar on urban beekeeping, for all you city folk. It's free but you need to <a href="https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/153470658">register</a>.<br /><br /><br /><blockquote>Online Seminars:<br /><br />Urban Beekeeping: Dos and Don'ts - Ins and Outs<br /><br />If you live in an urban area and are keeping bees or have thought about keeping bees than you won't want to miss this. We will have a conversation with 3 urban beekeepers with very different backgrounds and approaches. Cindy Bee, a beekeeper in the Atlanta, GA area, Toni Burnham in Washington, DC, and Cameo Wood in San Francisco. Registration is free but space is limited.<br /><br />Title: Urban Beekeeping: Dos and Don'ts - Ins and Outs<br />Date: Sunday, January 24. 2010<br />Time: 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM EDT<br />Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/153470658<br /><br /><br />After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.<br /><br />System Requirements:<br />PC-based attendees Required: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista<br /><br />Macintosh®-based attendees Required: Mac OS® X 10.4 (Tiger®) or newer</blockquote>FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-79781568484007455412009-12-20T12:45:00.000-08:002009-12-30T17:59:09.097-08:00Winter bee update<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIRrCwpOas3jYhDk7VzkQU0eJXE-M3XV4NcmiM-a6xIs8OaPsLhSSaVYkSkNmYlp33f-NLlCIxwrVo5Z4vFth6OgVeioR82M9FEX9XB90WLH6TI0-hrBs3oDfYD_ZdrqDzMyTr8Iy-Kk/s1600-h/bees.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIRrCwpOas3jYhDk7VzkQU0eJXE-M3XV4NcmiM-a6xIs8OaPsLhSSaVYkSkNmYlp33f-NLlCIxwrVo5Z4vFth6OgVeioR82M9FEX9XB90WLH6TI0-hrBs3oDfYD_ZdrqDzMyTr8Iy-Kk/s400/bees.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417422505656949154" /></a><br /><br />As 2009 draws to a close, I have two full hives and a nuc that I am attempting to overwinter. One of my hives died out in November (I think mites got them, but I'm not too sure. A family of mice quickly moved into the hive and I don't have the heart to evict them since it's so cold.)<br /><br />We just got about 15 inches of snow. I made sure there was adequate ventilation in each hive, but there's not a whole lot more I can do. The over-winter fate of each hive is pretty much determined in the fall. They either have adequate food and are mite free enough to make it through the winter, or they are not. Hopefully, all three of my hives will make it.FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-31516082973852089412009-11-06T16:00:00.000-08:002009-11-06T16:06:30.438-08:00Slideshow of White House bees<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/11/04/us/politics/20091104_BEES_SS1/index.html">Here is a link</a> to an interesting slideshow in the New York Times featuring the White House beekeeper. Pretty cool. <br /><br />It's totally awesome that anarchist bees are living on the grounds of the most recognizable symbol of our republic. Yay anarchy!FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-28733005266245683252009-07-05T16:32:00.000-07:002009-07-05T16:46:14.199-07:00Harvest time!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht9F9lwswCm9BudrbMa5zPQPq1wXnDmqzrJ-Rf0QGnVP5zW8bQZ3UysVj97BIF4ALzL458Zc7gkuG8jZQiqiw3ZbWxZxrNnfDEwsH7A_uUpFYCTUurQcVFrN6D0b716fgZZL7SX3xvoL0/s1600-h/Honey.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht9F9lwswCm9BudrbMa5zPQPq1wXnDmqzrJ-Rf0QGnVP5zW8bQZ3UysVj97BIF4ALzL458Zc7gkuG8jZQiqiw3ZbWxZxrNnfDEwsH7A_uUpFYCTUurQcVFrN6D0b716fgZZL7SX3xvoL0/s400/Honey.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355123121087221954" /></a><br /><br />I harvested two medium supers of honey from my carnies. They made three supers of honey this year, but I am leaving them with one super for winter. The two supers I took yielded about 4 gallons of honey, which weighs about 50 pounds. <br /><br />I used a honey extractor which worked pretty well. Some people prefer to use the "crush and strain" method, which boggles me. To me, that is akin to destroying the greenhouse to get out the plants. The most valuable asset a beekeeper has is drawn comb, so crushing the comb to get honey seems a little strange to me. By extracting, I can use the same frames with already drawn comb to give my bees a jump on storing nectar next year.<br /><br />The worst part was getting the honey from the bees, mostly because it was a hot July day and it was no fun to wear a bee suit. I used a combination of a fume board and an air compressor to blow the bees off the frames. Both of these methods worked well.<br /><br />I drained all the honey into a clean bucket, and I will filter and bottle it later. Yay!FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-71072802721843424482009-05-31T06:24:00.000-07:002009-05-31T06:37:20.213-07:00Necar flow drawing to a close<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNyov869EwcPp1oqeoJ0zpODTw9waAsSbFNOtudZi6O_t8wtpJ7UwhNYt8h4ju7TybewJYK3OTa0WMc8kQVxdJyLw79GSQoKnf6mQArmzQ5Dew1bAgtAOJY3XgJPW4PF4sBKm-n1Uy7I0/s1600-h/carnies.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNyov869EwcPp1oqeoJ0zpODTw9waAsSbFNOtudZi6O_t8wtpJ7UwhNYt8h4ju7TybewJYK3OTa0WMc8kQVxdJyLw79GSQoKnf6mQArmzQ5Dew1bAgtAOJY3XgJPW4PF4sBKm-n1Uy7I0/s400/carnies.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341980593532804130" /></a><br />The main nectar flow in my area is just about over for the year. I had a pretty good year, as I have at least 3 medium supers full of honey and I captured a swarm from one of my hives which is doing great. The second swarm that I captured appears to have absconded. <br /><br />My Carniolans have done especially well this year. I have two full supers of honey from that hive and added a third super of foundation which they are drawing out. That hive is on a scale and I take daily weight measurements. One day they gained 17 pounds! That is quite a lot of nectar. They have had lots of other days in which they gained more than 10 pounds. During the month of May, they gained about 100 pounds (that 100 pounds is adjusted to account for the weight of stuff that I added like the super bodies, frames, etc., so it represents only the weight of what the bees have collected from flowers). They did not swarm and have worked hard all spring.FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-47600818702695513382009-05-17T08:31:00.000-07:002009-05-17T08:39:38.740-07:00Another swarm!My Italians swarmed again. In fact, they threw off two swarms at the exact same time, and I was fortunate enough to witness the entire thing. In fact, I was able to capture one of the swarms, but the other was much too high up in a tree.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKvdlWf1BRnWnS46FC9rCPVAyzrA6YAIPfH-uS5cDur2hjq0adirDcfULpOV1WgtEPCSZ8WR3qpxHI8E9z1X_a7KRFOzYW75dgshwX0DZWELe5KVXTXQaU4IP7DRce9Ui3_uVd4Gw-Ea4/s1600-h/swarmintree.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKvdlWf1BRnWnS46FC9rCPVAyzrA6YAIPfH-uS5cDur2hjq0adirDcfULpOV1WgtEPCSZ8WR3qpxHI8E9z1X_a7KRFOzYW75dgshwX0DZWELe5KVXTXQaU4IP7DRce9Ui3_uVd4Gw-Ea4/s400/swarmintree.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336816506278156066" /></a><br /><br />Below are some pics of me capturing one of the swarms. I am fresh out of spare hives to put any more bees in, although I do have an order from BetterBee for two more hive bodies and plastic frames that shipped the same day I got this swarm. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4HjhnznCEW49fBkAE70aVDCEHnIulXQx3Aiwp2HX0EUcuV0Jw8-f97yYdYZ0vTHPpiukLym4ST8iMa3UflbYq_UMUyPo4HW2n_r5a8-b4bXNE1XY2fYZc6anaGpmpGdCiDgVM0mCG2gA/s1600-h/onthewayup.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4HjhnznCEW49fBkAE70aVDCEHnIulXQx3Aiwp2HX0EUcuV0Jw8-f97yYdYZ0vTHPpiukLym4ST8iMa3UflbYq_UMUyPo4HW2n_r5a8-b4bXNE1XY2fYZc6anaGpmpGdCiDgVM0mCG2gA/s400/onthewayup.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336817580574398178" /></a><br /><br />Hopefully this swarm will not get too restless in a cardboard nuc box, which is their home for now.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigXWM7jND4wptaLBC24lqN9PFGJrB8D9T-eBPQkThfaTv0EISMcUmeoiH0AqnQZ9uRVpHqgBpvTwqG-d0tRigNntq5kr5f-NhwAdJXA7bo2UfNUdWShyphenhyphen2BmKt0lhguy0EqqciBwFsMDi4/s1600-h/gettinghigh.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigXWM7jND4wptaLBC24lqN9PFGJrB8D9T-eBPQkThfaTv0EISMcUmeoiH0AqnQZ9uRVpHqgBpvTwqG-d0tRigNntq5kr5f-NhwAdJXA7bo2UfNUdWShyphenhyphen2BmKt0lhguy0EqqciBwFsMDi4/s400/gettinghigh.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336817085328014386" /></a>FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-1658137024783338292009-05-16T10:17:00.000-07:002009-05-16T10:28:09.158-07:00Swarm is queenright!I inspected the swarm that I captured earlier this week, and I located the queen. She is not marked, which surprised me because I thought she would be <a href="http://eyeofthebeeholder.blogspot.com/2008/06/marking-queen.html">this queen</a>. She is laying lots of eggs already (some can be seen in the photo of the queen below), and I am sure this is going to be a great hive. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJNcdVMnGUQYnbXknxenfqj5O0hIkElMZZuI4I6eOqjveYl_ZqQYiVHJIYnHeSB83ZA28V9qFR47uGToo82YHJstxw1lOCu2R4f7vtlbZQcPFnY1c0IN_sG3v5eY1_z6oT-rD4j-mYYs/s1600-h/new+queen.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJNcdVMnGUQYnbXknxenfqj5O0hIkElMZZuI4I6eOqjveYl_ZqQYiVHJIYnHeSB83ZA28V9qFR47uGToo82YHJstxw1lOCu2R4f7vtlbZQcPFnY1c0IN_sG3v5eY1_z6oT-rD4j-mYYs/s400/new+queen.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336473054922815282" /></a><br /><br />The swarm is not drawing out the plastic frames at all. However, these particular plastic frames are not coated with beeswax which makes a big difference in how well the bees will draw comb on them. The reason there is drawn comb in this photo is because I put some frames in with my swarm that were already drawn. Today, I added three wooden frames with beeswax foundation. I'll be curious to see how quickly those get drawn out.FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-8076087425112032272009-05-11T18:47:00.001-07:002009-05-16T10:17:46.418-07:00Swarm!As I was afraid of, my Italians swarmed today. The good news is that I was able to capture the swarm and hive it. I don't have any pictures of the swarm, which is kind of lame, but it was a large one. Since my hives are scales and I take note of the weights everyday, I do know that my Italians dropped 6 pounds since yesterday. Most or all of that was attributable to the swarm.<br /><br />The swarm landed on the ground which kind of surprised me. I basically started scooping them up and putting them in the box. I had some drawn comb in the box which they seemed to like. I didn't see the queen, which I know is marked. I'll do an inspection this weekend and figure out what's up with the queen.FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-63601975359837309942009-04-08T19:13:00.000-07:002009-04-08T19:28:07.113-07:00Time to super up!I saw dandelions on the way home from work! In my area, that is a sure sign that the nectar flow is starting. My Italians are already supered up with foundation (as opposed to already drawn comb), and earlier this week I finished putting a thick coat of beeswax on some more plastic frames so I can super my Carnies as well. The third year might be the charm for a surplus honey crop! <br /><br />Just look at my Italians. They are kicking butt and taking names. If they don't swarm, they are going to collect tons of nectar.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6oWFTo5UvFPu-YKiYNFGs9J0T62l3qLB_LBGiX0F5Ot39UYcCDedWaPWmS51B2J_5-d-nSqtq8872iGZB_HchidmJT6PLcLi6e5ydJOHEe0on2lGPXD9I0b4d0QjKsVsZxbd2ZRgayg/s1600-h/whatmeswarm.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6oWFTo5UvFPu-YKiYNFGs9J0T62l3qLB_LBGiX0F5Ot39UYcCDedWaPWmS51B2J_5-d-nSqtq8872iGZB_HchidmJT6PLcLi6e5ydJOHEe0on2lGPXD9I0b4d0QjKsVsZxbd2ZRgayg/s400/whatmeswarm.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322510696399185378" /></a>FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-67521850509543342562009-04-05T09:48:00.000-07:002009-04-05T09:55:19.318-07:00Bat fungal infectionThis is not bee related, but it is interesting. A fungal infection called white-nose syndrome is <a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-id.bats05apr05,0,5444019.story">wiping out bat populations in the Northeast</a>. I put out <a href="http://eyeofthebeeholder.blogspot.com/2008/11/quick-robin-to-bat-house.html">my bat house</a>, I'll be curious to see if I can attract some bats this year.<br /><br /><blockquote>As creepy as some people find them, bats play important roles in plant pollination, seed dissemination and pest control. One little brown bat can consume 1,000 mosquito-size bugs in an hour. Their appetite for pests spares U.S. farmers an estimated $1 billion a year in crop losses and insecticide costs.<br /><br />White-nose syndrome first appeared in 2006, in a cave near Albany, N.Y. Hibernating bats were found with a white substance on their faces and wings. All were emaciated; many were dead.<br /><br />Some were clustered near the cave entrances or flying nearby long before they should have left hibernation and before enough insects had emerged to sustain them.<br /><br />Genetic analysis revealed the fungus to be an unknown member of the cold-loving Geomyces genus. A similar fungus has been seen on bats in Europe, but it has not killed them, Haskew said. It's possible the fungus was somehow transported into North America and began spreading among native bats that have no natural resistance.<br /><br />The fungus is not known to affect humans, and scientists are only beginning to learn how it affects bats. Some suspect it is an irritant that causes them to awaken frequently during hibernation. A Bucknell University study found that infected bats were waking every two to three days. Disease-free bats rouse every 10 to 18 days.<br /><br />The frequent disruptions apparently cause the bats to burn too much body fat. They leave the cave too soon in search of food that isn't there, and they starve.<br /><br />By 2007, the contagion had spread to more caves in upstate New York. By late winter 2008, it was devastating hibernation sites, or hibernacula, in Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut. Hundreds of thousands of bats died, 90 percent to 100 percent of each colony. </blockquote>FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-80931080049978987192009-03-15T12:52:00.000-07:002009-03-15T16:09:58.369-07:00Trex Bottom BoardOf all the parts of a beehive, the bottom board takes the hardest beating. This is one of the reasons that most people paint the entire surface of their bottom boards (as opposed to just painting surfaces that are exposed to the elements). Surprisingly, I have not seen any bottom boards made of anything more durable than wood.<br /><br />Therefore, I am toying with making a screened bottom board out of <a href="http://www.trex.com/whytrex/WhatIsTrex.aspx">Trex</a>. Trex is an extremely durable product that is made from wood and plastic fibers. It is a very popular material to make decks out of because it holds up so well outdoors, but I have not seen any beehive components made from Trex. Trex is pretty expensive, but I was able to salvage a few short pieces from a dumpster at a construction site last summer. I already used some of it to make a pretty cool Trex birdhouse. Below is a pic of a rough prototype. I can't wait to finalize assembly and throw it under one of my hives.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbC1FyteRZi5HdfZ35u5YLQq2w63VAxyN1Tg53AGj2fcEQNq22ACB5nJVM9iD1ETS6fIPQKeQYU74i151t1D4E3Clo3WBt8N_bqdGHvcMk-qZhr8VkyHMUFzdYLPKC5wHr9hzL-bFHUWo/s1600-h/trexbb.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbC1FyteRZi5HdfZ35u5YLQq2w63VAxyN1Tg53AGj2fcEQNq22ACB5nJVM9iD1ETS6fIPQKeQYU74i151t1D4E3Clo3WBt8N_bqdGHvcMk-qZhr8VkyHMUFzdYLPKC5wHr9hzL-bFHUWo/s400/trexbb.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313506312730021250" /></a>FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-32935440342247421242009-03-08T17:33:00.000-07:002009-03-08T17:54:36.278-07:00Can CCD be prevented by supplmental protein?There was an interesting <a href="http://www.economist.com/science/displayStory.cfm?story_id=13226733">article in The Economist</a> this week that struck me as a bit dismissive of Colony Collapse Disorder. There may be merit to the argument put forth, but that is for the scientists to decide. The article suggests that feeding bees supplemental pollen that is rich in protein may significantly combat CCD. In other words, CCD can be mitigated by a healthy honeybee diet. <br /><br />The evidence offered is that almonds have a low protein content, and more than half the hives in the USA end up in California performing almond pollination each year. CCD meant that there were not enough bees to pollinate the almonds and contract prices went from $35 per hive to about $200 per hive. This caused many beekeepers to feed their bees supplements to keep them healthy to chase those higher fees. The protein supplements introduced into the bees' diets appear to have led to a surplus of bees available for this year's almond pollination. <br /><br /><blockquote>This year’s Californian bee glut, then, has been caused by a mixture of rising supply meeting falling demand. The price of almonds dropped by 30% between August and December last year, as people had less money in their pockets. That has caused growers to cut costs, and therefore hire fewer hives. There is also a drought in the region, and many farmers are unlikely to receive enough water to go ahead with the harvest. Meanwhile, the recent high prices for pollination contracts made it look worthwhile fattening bees up with supplements over the winter. That may help explain why there have been fewer colony collapses.<br /><br />The rise and fall of the managed honeybee, then, owes as much to the economics of supply and demand as it does to the forces of nature. And if the nutrition and disease theory is correct, next year’s lower contract prices may see beekeepers cutting back on supplemental feeding, and a resurgence of CCD. </blockquote><br /><br />Again, I can't speak to the merits of this "diet centered" argument, but it does not seem completely absurd to me. My bees have had no CCD related problems, but in Maryland we have really good pollen sources.FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-86581415729401953222009-02-08T17:30:00.000-08:002009-02-09T17:18:22.888-08:00First inspection of 2009!Since we had some decent 60 degree weather in central Maryland, I was able to inspect both my hives for the first time in the new year. My expectations prior to inspection that hive #1 would be fine, and hive #2 would be nearly dead. After all, hive # 2 was knocked over for an unknown amount of time, rained on while knocked over, and was very light (i.e. low of food stores) when I put it back together. I did notice some activity, so I knew that hive #2 was not completely dead, but I figured it was just a matter of time. <br /><br />Much to my surprise, both hives are doing extremely well. The stronger of the hives is hive #2, which as a fair amount of honey left (although don't ask me where it came from). Below is a shot of a frame from hive #2, showing the queen. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzeWreyBZHkwjECRzonF6ykwdrooS4JdCbEtV6sJMvGjDKZzDjQaUdNt_WTDBUl_jlYeWI9nOI-ctnGg1Bj99_uExOwTyJ1UUn4xlqAJth9L8DSvz_lUnOXGNTXJ0IROcpOOQ56bUEGjk/s1600-h/bunch+of+bees+with+queen.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzeWreyBZHkwjECRzonF6ykwdrooS4JdCbEtV6sJMvGjDKZzDjQaUdNt_WTDBUl_jlYeWI9nOI-ctnGg1Bj99_uExOwTyJ1UUn4xlqAJth9L8DSvz_lUnOXGNTXJ0IROcpOOQ56bUEGjk/s400/bunch+of+bees+with+queen.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300605438217592786" /></a> <br /><br />My gut at this point is that hive #2 may throw off an early swarm. Therefore, I am hoping just to use them to draw out comb this year, and get my first honey crop from hive #1. I guess the third year is the charm!FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-57390961161813880682009-01-18T14:56:00.000-08:002009-01-19T16:24:48.906-08:00Beeswax Lip BalmFor my birthday, I received <a href="http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/prodinfo.asp?number=382">this lip balm kit</a>. It comes with all you need (even the beeswax) to make 24 containers of lip balm. 12 of the containers are the "lipstick tube" type and 12 are small jars.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/images/382lipbalmkit.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 201px;" src="http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/images/382lipbalmkit.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />So far, I have made four containers worth (two of each type). It was really easy and it only takes about 10 minutes or so to melt the wax and carefully pour it into the containers. You don't need a fancy wax melter, I just used a queenline honey jar and a saucepan with some hot water. Then you just have to wait for it to dry into its solid form. It comes with a variety of flavoring oils so you be creative. <br /><br />This time I made a peppermint flavor, and it turned out really cool. I am really looking forward to making some more lip balm with wax from my own bees!FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-25508783611981252022008-12-15T18:54:00.000-08:002008-12-15T19:03:34.045-08:00Free hive tools!I received a flyer in the mail from <a href="http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/">Brushy Mountain Bee Farm</a>. The folks at BMBF are giving away hive tools for the holidays, but you can request yours anytime during 2009. You just use the code "FHT" (free hive tool?) when you place an order, and you will get one. You have to order something, of course, and they will only give you one regardless of how many times you order during the year. I order stuff from them, and they have good products. I also have a brushy mountain hive tool, but I really only use it to pack pine needles in my smoker. I prefer the maxant style hive tools, but you can buy those from brushy mountain as well.FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-11314727981475449172008-11-17T17:18:00.000-08:002008-11-17T17:32:31.722-08:00Quick Robin, to the bat house!Since cold weather is coming on, there is not much going on with the bees other than what is discussed in the post below. One of the things I have been wanting to get for awhile is a bat house. The models that were available at the local outdoor stores did not impress me. So, I checked <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0974237914/ref=s9subs_c1_79_at2-rfc_p-frt_p-3237_p_si2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=1PKHTKTT2XZDWBMVH2Y8&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=463383351&pf_rd_i=507846">this book out from the library</a> and used it to make my own bat house.<br /><br />I made the whole thing out of some leftover cedar boards and plywood from a construction project. The only thing I had to buy was some $4.99 red stain for the plywood parts. I can't wait until spring to put it out and see if some bats take up residence.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPmuMaZhyphenhyphen7m4sji-yGRODFvYg9TzVg1iGGhs_l1aeUjEuVKl17Q3gZkh9qmUQs8WgEroohbc7JKfQvH-i7W_96eBaaqkg6w6FQ3SNOh3uvIzna4k0W8RTub8nWbI2lskAW7p0rz3IsJ8/s1600-h/IMG_4905.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPmuMaZhyphenhyphen7m4sji-yGRODFvYg9TzVg1iGGhs_l1aeUjEuVKl17Q3gZkh9qmUQs8WgEroohbc7JKfQvH-i7W_96eBaaqkg6w6FQ3SNOh3uvIzna4k0W8RTub8nWbI2lskAW7p0rz3IsJ8/s400/IMG_4905.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269802041312167458" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Below is a shot of the four inner chambers. There is only 3/4 of an inch between them, but that's enough for the bats:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BWpab8w4MykyNkvfYim43T_k4k-4VliQVe7e99QrccqZoCXnXm23xFNQKD8fiTiY2iFaeOdHxP_Ra0EVETZJ_y1RxvUutnAKpuYINL90sxrxo202p1hmBeTLNWfwxDS-4sxoYQOxxGU/s1600-h/IMG_4904.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BWpab8w4MykyNkvfYim43T_k4k-4VliQVe7e99QrccqZoCXnXm23xFNQKD8fiTiY2iFaeOdHxP_Ra0EVETZJ_y1RxvUutnAKpuYINL90sxrxo202p1hmBeTLNWfwxDS-4sxoYQOxxGU/s400/IMG_4904.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269802285191092818" border="0" /></a>FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-87473004540150096472008-11-17T17:10:00.000-08:002008-11-17T17:18:41.125-08:00Bee updateMy original hive has plenty of honey and is hunkered down for the winter. They are most likely going to be fine.<br /><br />Some bad news on the front of hive number two, however. The hive is situated on a place on my property where I do not see it everyday. I went out one Saturday morning to check on it, and it had been knocked over onto its side. I have no idea how long it was like that, and it rained the day before. When I put it upright, it felt much lighter than I expected, which indicates that the bees may not have enough stores for the winter. I have not inspected the hive, but I think that the queen is still alive because the hive is generally quiet and appears to be acting normal. Even if being knocked over does not do them in, lack of food probably will. I'll try to do some emergency feeding over the winter and see what happens. I have heard that fondant makes good emergency bee feed.FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-76291438641416599312008-10-05T06:26:00.000-07:002008-10-05T06:37:34.638-07:00Bumble bee observation nestI went to an open house event at an agricultural research facility, and I saw something that is really cool: A bumble bee nest!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjREM3Pnz_SDYnP4RB961wuqlySyo1x_0MM8N141xHMnLCivKoQPMvJONxC9kr3l_YbnxRRI2wfoMlie544zHt7-3dGMVlSCRc2QM882UJAbjM4gXmE5GVTtta6qsKvrxiPYyN2nPYTg9A/s1600-h/IMG_4708.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjREM3Pnz_SDYnP4RB961wuqlySyo1x_0MM8N141xHMnLCivKoQPMvJONxC9kr3l_YbnxRRI2wfoMlie544zHt7-3dGMVlSCRc2QM882UJAbjM4gXmE5GVTtta6qsKvrxiPYyN2nPYTg9A/s400/IMG_4708.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253660965586724274" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The plastic top of the box that they are in is a little cloudy, so it is not possible to get a really clear picture. But you can still make out the pollen pots and see some individual bees. While I was observing them, I saw a new worker crawl out of the cell where it developed!<br /><br />Pretty soon, these bees will start producing lots of drones and queens. The queens will mate and then hibernate underground for the winter. The drones and the worker bees will die in the fall. In the spring, the queens will emerge and look for a new nest so they can start laying eggs and start the whole process over. <br /><br />From what I understand from the host of this display, the bees were purchased earlier this year and are used for pollination.FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-73266713742827382782008-10-05T06:11:00.000-07:002008-10-05T06:25:52.946-07:00Bee updateI know haven't posted here for awhile, and that is partly because I have not been doing much for the bees for awhile. Since I did not harvest any honey, I am not feeding very much this year. Last year I made the mistake of feeding too much which I believe made the bees too strong early in April which led to a mid-April swarm. My original hive has a super of honey, so they should make it through the winter just fine. My other hive also has a fair amount of stored sugar syrup from my feedings earlier in the year. Basically, the bees have managed themselves. <br /><br />The only thing that I did do was treat for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">varroa</span> mites. In my first hive I used <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Apistan</span> strips, and the second hive I gave them one packet of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Api</span> Life VAR. The directions called for two packs, but the mite counts were so low I did not think that a second pack was necessary. I guess the consequence of this is that the mites that were in capped cells for the two weeks that the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Api</span> Life VAR was on the hive were shielded from the mite treatment, but I am not too worried about this given the low mite drops prior to treatment.FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-37999905668054880462008-08-23T09:51:00.000-07:002008-08-23T09:56:59.150-07:00You gotta eatHere are some still pics of the <a href="http://eyeofthebeeholder.blogspot.com/2008/08/mine.html">praying mantis incident</a>.<br /><br />Lunch!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZw4grBnix99gZuAw-PBSPYfhw_mqbAArFFEKYLjeDOQ8sfge-fLsJ9drGalOT8oaqk3mHpiBHKtZwQI2_XYp1SapyyKTJpl70yz-Gq-Bf5lXLwbL8TXZQuH1Baz7c8iOPLcUXwNXtso/s1600-h/IMG_4484.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZw4grBnix99gZuAw-PBSPYfhw_mqbAArFFEKYLjeDOQ8sfge-fLsJ9drGalOT8oaqk3mHpiBHKtZwQI2_XYp1SapyyKTJpl70yz-Gq-Bf5lXLwbL8TXZQuH1Baz7c8iOPLcUXwNXtso/s400/IMG_4484.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237757993259339922" border="0" /></a><br />Nom nom nom<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmda-xDUCqUApSglO-MBw7dMjFv3rLvH7wJi6c4DttE0oBfimpFP-uptVqHHDJrQSUQzP0v1R4RvJmWBHyYK9pXT0myQkP_dU722efO6NIelG-5nvsugJhLBHJxy2r2k870VMupFUmJM/s1600-h/nomnomnom.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmda-xDUCqUApSglO-MBw7dMjFv3rLvH7wJi6c4DttE0oBfimpFP-uptVqHHDJrQSUQzP0v1R4RvJmWBHyYK9pXT0myQkP_dU722efO6NIelG-5nvsugJhLBHJxy2r2k870VMupFUmJM/s400/nomnomnom.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237757249340325026" border="0" /></a>FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-82888401206654980802008-08-23T09:45:00.000-07:002008-08-23T09:48:26.919-07:00Mine!This video has nothing to do with bees, but it does relate to insects. I have a bush in my yard that is loaded with praying mantises. This is a video of a praying mantis eating a cicada, while another praying mantis snatches the cicada from the first. It's dog eat dog out there!<br /><br /><embed id="VideoPlayback" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=-8338236239122329023&hl=en&fs=true" style="width:400px;height:326px" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed>FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-19161910592902103052008-07-29T18:14:00.000-07:002008-07-30T18:01:41.073-07:00Well, I saw Lon Chaney walking with the Queen...If <a href="http://eyeofthebeeholder.blogspot.com/2007/07/hot-summer-nights.html">this</a> picture from last year is bearding, what is the pic below? Werewolfing? I have noticed that my second hive beards like crazy, with bees covering the entire front of the hive bodies (the white supers are just concealing a feeder jar). I wonder if this is common among Italian bees? <br /><br />This hive was started with four frames and a caged queen. They are on plastic foundation, and were not drawing it out very quickly or very well when they had only one box. Before I added the second hive body, I coated the plastic frames with beeswax and they drew that box out in no time flat. They got so strong that I took off the hive top feeder and am just using a feeder jar. My other hive, although healthy, is much weaker than these guys. Of course, I am not feeding the other hive, but I have not removed my only honey super yet either. I fear that this hive may swarm early next year.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitm3nBKeUxOeO0wYfHHjCPqbMXcMuSjj-uXH46DHz0-czT-_n9TYya9cRBmMOcRW0LMqSHduocFbbD7Bhu04T-CyZRHAVcFt9helTeQA1ivNruGkI9aAEzBoCMJPFCs-Z2kqgBfxpngdM/s1600-h/Bigbeard.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitm3nBKeUxOeO0wYfHHjCPqbMXcMuSjj-uXH46DHz0-czT-_n9TYya9cRBmMOcRW0LMqSHduocFbbD7Bhu04T-CyZRHAVcFt9helTeQA1ivNruGkI9aAEzBoCMJPFCs-Z2kqgBfxpngdM/s400/Bigbeard.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228609800140132210" border="0" /></a>FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-39047955140390850112008-07-12T13:50:00.000-07:002008-07-12T14:12:30.834-07:00Plastic framesEarlier this year, I purchased a whole bunch of <a href="http://www.betterbee.com/products.asp?dept=352">Pierco plastic frames</a>. I bought 40 black deep frames for the brood chamber and 40 white medium sized frames for my honey supers. I was very much attracted to the "no assembly required" benefit of plastic frames. These frames also have a slightly lower price and the bees do not seem to propolize them as much as wooden frames. Furthermore, they resist wax moth damage to the frame itself.<br /><br />The only draw back of plastic frames is that bees just don't seem to want to draw comb on them as readily as bees wax frames. Last year my hive drew a medium super of plastic frames pretty easily, but I was feeding them very heavily with a hive top feeder when they were drawing comb on these frames. This year, my second hive is all on plastic frames, but they did not seem to want to draw them out. When they did draw comb, it was shallow and not what I consider to be quality drawn comb.<br /><br />Although plastic frames are advertised as "beeswax coated", I could sneeze more beeswax on them then what they come from the factory with. I had read in various bee magazines and heard from other beekeepers that coating plastic frames with beeswax will entice the bees to draw them out much better. I tried this, and boy did it work. The frames I had coated in beeswax were drawn out quickly, and the comb looks like the kind of high quality comb you see drawn on frames with bees wax foundation.<br /><br />Below is a pic of a deep frame before and after being coated with beeswax. Keep in mind that the frame on top was advertised as "beeswax coated". I like Pierco frames, but I criticize them for the scant amount of bees wax in which they put on these frames. I would even be willing to pay for these frames if they came with a decent amount of beeswax on them.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf7rxlJtP5onq2l4JjyhMAxYFsYXwLIkaNZ87iIMEulMsinR1EgQyVosYwiR9VOhnIn0yt48ukxAzy6B6LEoeN8OyEWIyu_i0N6Ov5kSyt4iWXuQThO2qHo0rs93SOhdGmXy7F7usMcVw/s1600-h/IMG_3866.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf7rxlJtP5onq2l4JjyhMAxYFsYXwLIkaNZ87iIMEulMsinR1EgQyVosYwiR9VOhnIn0yt48ukxAzy6B6LEoeN8OyEWIyu_i0N6Ov5kSyt4iWXuQThO2qHo0rs93SOhdGmXy7F7usMcVw/s400/IMG_3866.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222235967651582482" border="0" /></a><br /><br />If you are having trouble with plastic frames, purchase some beeswax that you know is disease free, melt it down, and spread it on your plastic frames with a paint brush. Your bees will draw it out much better.FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-87116790791956643292008-06-11T16:20:00.001-07:002008-06-11T16:35:16.026-07:00Marking the queenMy new queens are unmarked and I wanted to mark them. This makes them easy spot, easy to determine the age of, and you know in an instant if the queen you are looking at is the one you put there. Due to an unfortunate incident involving paint and a home renovation project, I am not allowed to paint anything within 100 miles of my house. Therefore, my Omniscient Beekeeper marked the queen for me.<br /><br />There are 5 colors to paint your queens, the color you use depends on what year the queen was born in. Years ending in 1 and 6 are white, 2 and 7 are yellow, 3 and 8 are red, 4 and 9 are green, 5 and 0 are blue.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"W</span>hen <span style="font-weight: bold;">Y</span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ou</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">R</span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ead</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">G</span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">ood</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">B</span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">ooks</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">" </span>is how I remember this.<br /><br />You can buy queen marking pens, but we just used child safe paint (i.e. non-toxic) and a small paint brush.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjohw9_IBiiUL-8M03AQl2e49nqjoEAj7xCV3lrB6gwJJGL1KuMvWfJVkjI_n6PFwzTzotmTI6iCON386Mct8wE2pfYf_NvO1IvyK83aOuNnKK8AlKAUmLD53YMCH_qXz90UKs_wqqY5U/s1600-h/marked.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjohw9_IBiiUL-8M03AQl2e49nqjoEAj7xCV3lrB6gwJJGL1KuMvWfJVkjI_n6PFwzTzotmTI6iCON386Mct8wE2pfYf_NvO1IvyK83aOuNnKK8AlKAUmLD53YMCH_qXz90UKs_wqqY5U/s400/marked.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210768630656985682" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Not too shabby for a first mark.FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812285702672175439.post-61335667402973823792008-05-31T13:10:00.001-07:002008-05-31T13:29:50.198-07:00So far so goodAs we approach the tail end of the main nectar flow in my area, both of my hives are rocking along just fine although I am worried that the swarm from my established hive may have eliminated any possibility of a crop of honey this year. Since I now have two unmarked queens in both hives, I need to get my hands on a paint marker so I can mark them. Marking is a good idea so I know that the queens I see are the ones I are supposed to be there. Here are a few tidbits from last weeks inspection that I just now transferred from the camera to my laptop:<br /><br />This is a frame from the established hive that is full of eggs (the white specs). The eggs contrast nicely on the black plastic foundation:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz84HO58WHab_dk49khT5UW84yb2TX9jXNROzPaNhRsU-ZdU6lXAQPNfIKvOJoyuI9rcw7dFr4V7QgeEvtlEFSyZNShf0lGFmQM61QXIaQcuy_8wN9BBGksE482zUN6Lz5DP6Vb8i6ppw/s1600-h/eggs.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz84HO58WHab_dk49khT5UW84yb2TX9jXNROzPaNhRsU-ZdU6lXAQPNfIKvOJoyuI9rcw7dFr4V7QgeEvtlEFSyZNShf0lGFmQM61QXIaQcuy_8wN9BBGksE482zUN6Lz5DP6Vb8i6ppw/s400/eggs.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206637777172304690" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Below is a frame from hive #2 which shows some eggs if you look closely. This queen, which is Italian, is doing fine also. This hive just needs to draw out two boxes of comb this year and they will be fine. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyGFBAqS8j8OofwQ9Gbjl6G1kDnmBlDdjURuO_xc3b0AMZB-Z4t9PBfc3-78kJ58nXANAlCnJ5XkinYku7l3U9el7pPM6nkNU5JpBOMxiIKKAdKhoPA7kHCLCz7OZA4RGv7rAcfBxO_68/s1600-h/neweggs.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyGFBAqS8j8OofwQ9Gbjl6G1kDnmBlDdjURuO_xc3b0AMZB-Z4t9PBfc3-78kJ58nXANAlCnJ5XkinYku7l3U9el7pPM6nkNU5JpBOMxiIKKAdKhoPA7kHCLCz7OZA4RGv7rAcfBxO_68/s400/neweggs.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206637540949103394" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here is a pic of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_bee">Italian</a> queen that I installed myself in hive #2:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYO4Z6WdIzCpJMkcWFPakoNiZsNq_e2tC6pvenpPRphYZdQQmbg2tqybadQCTuz4HPkvXGAoGKGf5MuCzAaCj5F32hojIHaWdswYVkfaw_jNO3S7XxTehOMIm1vUsd6oR9I8GtNtj6wFg/s1600-h/newqueen.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYO4Z6WdIzCpJMkcWFPakoNiZsNq_e2tC6pvenpPRphYZdQQmbg2tqybadQCTuz4HPkvXGAoGKGf5MuCzAaCj5F32hojIHaWdswYVkfaw_jNO3S7XxTehOMIm1vUsd6oR9I8GtNtj6wFg/s400/newqueen.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206637296135967506" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Below is a pic of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carniolan_honeybee">Carniolan</a> queen that my establish hive raised themselves after they swarmed. She is laying nicely as the first pic on this post shows. Notice how much darker the Carniolan queen is when compared to the Italian queen:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mDJ3ftqGS4AKx3ZrR3TS0gBdUpLzfekiDn72nJzzyBk66UrrWUIXf1v_MMhPWrfyeqSYR15CZICzgP917nIudoqTxkyK449_bzIoKYu2Cg7XIuF9npMBrYI2aaR7gXCHOXDDK5nhwq8/s1600-h/raised+queen.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mDJ3ftqGS4AKx3ZrR3TS0gBdUpLzfekiDn72nJzzyBk66UrrWUIXf1v_MMhPWrfyeqSYR15CZICzgP917nIudoqTxkyK449_bzIoKYu2Cg7XIuF9npMBrYI2aaR7gXCHOXDDK5nhwq8/s400/raised+queen.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206637042732897026" border="0" /></a>FreeMarkethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12640525471233108791noreply@blogger.com0