The summer really has been a hot one....this morning when I spied on my bees, I found NO queen in one hive--but several queen cells. I took a few of the queen cells out--but left a couple. If there is no queen (no eggs or larvae either) I think I'll just let the workers make their own--like they would do if I were not watching....that hive is not going to make much honey this year anyway. After all, both of my hives started out brand new, no drawn/pulled out comb, so the bees had to work real hard from the start. Maybe next year.....
My mentor says I will probably get something--after all, the golden rod is about to bloom, and with blooms come pollen (ah-choo) nectar and honey...we'll see 'bout that!!
Next year could prove to be profitable, honey-wise. Like my grandaddy used to say "I'm a next-year man my self".

OUCH!!! I forgive you!

Well, today was a busy learning day for me. I {treid} to help in the beeyard, after checking my hives....which, by the way, are doing GREAT!! It is terribly hot down here dn a usual, I did not have my gloves on...not because of the heat, but because my bees are very gentle adn have never stung me when I was in their hives....Today though, I forgot to use the frame lifter and pushd a couple bees with the back of my hand when lifting a frame. I did not know I was doing that till they hit me..one on the back of my right hand, and the other on the index finger of my left hand. My finger is so swollen, I cannot bend it all the way. I wish I could upload a picture because then you could testify my hands look funnier than my younger daughter's sunburned hands in San Diego...we'll see what tomorrow brings!!

New Moon night!!

What a whirlwind weekend!! Spain won the World Cup, I had a birthday and my baby daughter and her husband made their last trip here before their first child arives....soon, but not TOO soon!! (hehe). I will be checking on my newest queen and her hive tomorrow morning, and supplementing the old hive with some "dessert" since he nectar flow is down..it is so hot and dry here. Too early for fall blooms, but the clover is long gone and very few blooms about the hives!! I get so excited thinking about visiting my bees. Hope all is well with you all!!

K Bee

Checking on the girls in the morning!

Tomorrow morning I will check on my bee hives...see if the new queen is behaving. I am hopeful. Can't upload the photo of the swarm in the early spring...it will just have to wait for now!

WOW! Photos!

I am not sure what I did differently this time, but photos posted!! They are of the installing of the bees...this happened on March 31st, and that is the "official" start date of my beekeeping status...I am enjoying a book titled "Langstroth's Hive and the Honey-Bee" by L.L. Langstroth. The subtitle is "The Classic Beekeeper's Manual" and it was originally published in 1878 (J.B. Lippincott)under the title "A Practical Treatise on the Hive and Honey-Bee" It is so fascinating--many references to God, which I find refreshing!!
Lord-willing, there will be more photos to share....
Bee happy!! ;0)

Why can't I post my photos?

I have photos of the 'installing' of the bees, but for some reason, they will not upload.....today I plan to go back and 'check' on the girls,specifically to see if the queens are 'laying' or not. Last week my mentor pulled wax off the frame and told my bees to 'behave' becasue the wax they were building was not uniform...5 bees came out with the frame-lifeless-so i wonder if hey got teh message:
Build that wax more uniformly girls, because it is better for you in the longrun....