I loaded my observation hive yesterday. I purchased 1 frame of B's from a local apiary, for my two frame hive. Getting them in there was a bit of work, but I did it. There were a few yard sales in my neighborhood, and I stopped some traffic walking around in my B suit.
I worked them right outside the entrance that is in the wall. When I had no B's on the hive and most of them in the hive I put it in the house. within minutes the stragglers that were still outside the house found their path in.
The first day was pretty much reerved for hive cleaning by the bees. There were a couple of larva that didn't survive the trip in the car, especially when the box tipped over....
And once things got settled there were a lot outside taking the flights to study the entrance.
Later the first night I saw the queen laying eggs and watched two bees emerge from their cells. :) One thing that I thin is pretty cool is that once they take some feed from the sugar syrup at the top of the hive - to get pack down, they do a controlled fall/small flying trick -- rather than walk down the foundation. Most of the bees are settling on the botttom frame full of brood. The top frame only has foundation.
Today, I saw them bringing back pollen and watched them do a B dance.
:)
This is cool. All the neighbors have come over 2 c.
MPK