Adding Supers

If you've never picked up a full super of honey, well - it's heavy - more than I can handle most days. So Steve, my neighbor and fellow beekeeper, is always willing to help me. Yesterday we opened my 3 hives. The weather was ideal and the bees were working and not concerned with us messing around in their house. No stings - no "hot" bees - just a good look around.
We started with Hive #4 - they were a little "hot" when I opened them a couple of weeks ago (I got stung about six times on my foot - not pleasant, let me tell you) but today they were easy to work with.

They're busting at the seams with bees and lots of capped brood. The empty super that was put on 4/12 is already full of honey - not all capped but just about. So we added an empty brood box to give them more room downstairs and moved a couple of frames around in the bottom brood box and added an empty super so those girls can go to work and not leave home.

Hive #6 looked good and lots of bees, brood and big, fat drones. Still plenty of room - just trying to make sure they have lots of space and won't swarm.

Hive #1 - everything was okay - we just moved some frames around and they have plenty of room. Took the duct tape off the back. Don't want to give them to much room - those dreaded wax moths you know.

Hive #6 - Hive #4 - Hive #1

Everything's looking good.

Non Paying Tenants

This is an interesting article that was in our Sunday paper. Seems bees are setting up housekeeping in foreclosure homes in the Lee County, Florida area. Mr. B. Keith Councell is a fourth generation beekeeper and a licensed bee remover. He donates all the honey and beeswax from his 300 or so colonies to the St. Nicholas Eastern Orthodox Monastery where he has lived since Hurricane Charley destroyed his trailer in 2004.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/us/20bees.html

My Bee Yard

These are recent photos of my bee hives (4/12/08).





This is Hive #6 on the left and Hive #4 on the right.

This is Hive #1 with the duct tape around the back!

I added empty supers to all three hives on the 12th and will open again this weekend to see what's happening and maybe add a brood box to #4 or do a split. I've never done a split so I'll ask for some help.

I numbered my hives and make notes and drawings every time I open any of the hives. There's an old plastic table behind my hives and I take a pad and pencil and make notes while I'm out there cause by the time I get back to the house (and it's not that far), I can't remember what I did to which hive.

We're having beautiful weather today - sunny and warm.

EARTH DAY

Today is Earth Day - be kind to the planet.

First Post

Good Morning - this is my first post on Town Bees. I've been beekeeping for four years and this blog will hopefully provide you with a little information about my beekeeping, maybe something you didn't know and/or something you might know more about than me. Bear in mind - I know just enough but probably not enough to be dangerous!
I have three hives this year - now is our busy time. The bees are buzzing . . . those girls are hard at work. This is just a hobby (not for $$$) for me and I live in a small town in Eastern North Carolina. Dog, two cats, the usual goldfish in the pond, etc.
Thanks for reading and hope you will visit again.