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.
