With some much needed sunshine this morning, we did a thorough inspection of Bee Hive #1.
Hive inspections are important for the Beekeeper, so they can keep an eye on what the Bees are doing inside the hive. Any problems can be spotted and dealt with before they become a big problem down the road. So far, this hive is doing fantastic! The Queen is laying lots of eggs, and we spotted many egg, lots of Larvae, and a lot of capped brood. I would estimate the size of this hive has doubled since we installed the 3 pound package on April 16th. They are foraging well, and bringing in a lot of pollen and nectar.
Here is a picture of a frame of capped honey that they will use to feed the colony:
The photo below shows a picture perfect brood pattern. The oval section in the center is where the Queen will lay eggs. Surrounding this oval are stores of nectar and pollen, which is used to feed the developing eggs and larvae. This is what it should look like in a good hive. Ms. Queen, you and your workers are doing a great job!
The photo below show newly layed eggs. In the center of the photo, you can see the tiny white objects. They look like tiny grains of rice. When you see these in your hive, you know your Queen is alive and well, and doing her job of laying eggs. We are always excited to spot eggs...........they are a good sign!
The photo below shows a frame that is loaded with busy bees! The dark, orange colored material you see in some of the cells is pollen. They store pollen to feed the brood in the colony. There is also capped brood in some of these cells, along with honey. They were busy girls today, taking full advantage of the nice weather.
Next week, it will time to inspect Hive #2 which I placed in the Bee Yard on Friday afternoon. They were working hard this morning, and I will be interested to see if the Queen is laying by next weekend. Hopefully, this new hive will do as well as Hive #1!
No comments:
Post a Comment