Bees: Doing Well!

As we awoke to another grey morning, I hoped the weather would change after church got out. Happily, by the time we returned home, the sun had come out, and bees were emerging from both hives and buzzing happily!

Phil finished the last frames so both bottom "brooder" boxes are full, and made new entrance bars. I suited up with a bee hood and long sleeves (with sleeves rubber-banded at the wrists), and we went down to do our first check.

The empty can on top: off. Lift off the wrong-sized inner cover: completely covered with bees. Inside the hive, the box the bees came in was empty, and the bees appeared to be doing their "daisy-chaining," where they somehow measure, using their bodies, the appropriate size and shape of the wax comb they are building. I removed the queen cage, snipped the rubber band that had held it in place, and put in the new frames.

After adding two of the four frames, the intensity of the bees' buzz increased dramatically. They were agitated and confused. I added the last two frames, put on the proper-sized inner cover, and the outer cover. Then Phil helped me remove the entrance bar, and I added a new one that had space for the feeder as well as a little entrance and exit. I refilled their sugar-water feeder, and the Celestial hive was taken care of.

Then we did the same for Celadon, and all was right in the bee world.

The bees were swarming all over, but they must be quite good tempered, because I didn't have any buzz my head. I had two crawl up the piece I was moving, but I brushed them off with hay. None landed on my arms, none took much interest in me at all. I appreciated that.

The Celadon hive has noticeably made new comb already. Perhaps that extra day of vigor yesterday gave them a little boost. But, checking their feeders this evening, the Celestial hive has finished more of their sugar water, so they might catch up quickly.

I'm curious: with mild temperatures this evening, and a feeder they can access without leaving the hive, will they continue their work around the clock? Or are they sun-lovers, who will resume activity in the morning. I look forward to finding out.