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Author Topic: Day 7 Officially a Beek for one week.  (Read 2438 times)

Offline Georgia Boy

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Day 7 Officially a Beek for one week.
« on: April 27, 2013, 10:31:48 pm »
Hey guys,

I have decided I have no idea what the heck I am doing.

This I kinda like having a baby no matter how much you prepare for its arrival, once it gets here you feel TOTALLY inadequate and question you decision to have one. :) What was I thinking crossed your mind many times.
 
Well I have lasted a week. Hoorah!!!!   :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

Did a one week check and found at least some drawn comb on 6 of 8 frames. The only concern is there are some funky comb on some of the frames. It like they drew straight up off the foundation.

Need to know if I should break it off and let them rebuild or just leave it alone and they might fix?

Next does nectar and syrup look the same in cells before it is dehydrated? I saw a lot of clear liquid in the cells. I assume it is syrup since I am feeding so they will build comb.

Should I worry at this point that they are filling too much comb with syrup to the point the queen can't lay? Or just wait to see it they is capped brood?

How long before I should see capped brood? 1 week, 2,3 or 4?

I won't be going into the hive again for a week. I want to leave them alone as much a possible.

Here are some Pic. from today.








Thanks

David
« Last Edit: April 27, 2013, 10:47:44 pm by Georgia Boy »
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Offline Intheswamp

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Re: Day 7 Officially a Beek for one week.
« Reply #1 on: April 27, 2013, 10:47:31 pm »
Nice looking queen, GB. 

I would straighten out the odd comb.  One bad comb leads to another.  Odd how they built it...there was a reason.

How much are you feeding?  You really don't want them filling everything up with syrup but there again you want them building comb....catch-22.  Hopefully someone more experienced will chime in with some advice on that.

Ed

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American blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world.  320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror".  Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA.  But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

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Offline tillie

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Re: Day 7 Officially a Beek for one week.
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2013, 12:26:00 am »
In Georgia the nectar flow is at its height right now - I wouldn't feed them, at least if Georgia Boy means you are actually in Georgia. Everything is blooming right now.  There's plenty of nectar for them to use. 

Also so nice to see your queen in the third photo.  My first year the only time I ever saw the queen was when she showed up unbeknownst to me for a photo shoot and I saw her later on my computer!

Linda T in Atlanta 

Offline Caelansbees

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Re: Day 7 Officially a Beek for one week.
« Reply #3 on: April 28, 2013, 01:25:10 am »
Black suede gloves?  Cloth backs?  Those will be fun when that hive builds up!  Might be better off bare handed.  Or get a box of the nitrile gloves.  I get about a 50/50 chance of stung thru those.  But I hate trying to get propolis off my hands more than the stings! Good luck!

Offline Bees In Miami

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Re: Day 7 Officially a Beek for one week.
« Reply #4 on: April 28, 2013, 06:47:07 am »
Georgia Boy...Have you picked out the Queen yet?  Third pic, 6:00.  GREAT photos!   :th_thumbsupup:  The cells around her are plump and shiny, with larvae.  Your Queen is kicking but!!!  Leave them alone for a few weeks!!!!   (she is a pretty one!!!   ;) )

Offline buzzbee

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Re: Day 7 Officially a Beek for one week.
« Reply #5 on: April 28, 2013, 08:31:07 am »
Not sure I see any larvae in the third. But nectar can look like syrup.They are drawing nicely.
Remove the weird piece of comb.At one week the queen may just be getting ready to lay. I'm not sure I'd quit feeding. Wax building and brood rearing will consume a lot of resiources.
However if all cells are full of nectar and or pollen,definitely lay off the syrup.
But do keep an eye on it. If they start rearing brood, one cell of honey will be needed for each egg layed. And the workers will consume plenty producing wx.

Offline Georgia Boy

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Re: Day 7 Officially a Beek for one week.
« Reply #6 on: April 28, 2013, 10:09:36 am »
All I can say is wow what a relief.

I have been antsy since Tuesday when I made sure the queen had been released. I did do a through check. Just went in and got her cage out. 

Yesterday being one week in wanted to do a quick check of each frame that is why we took pictures so we wouldn't be in there too long.

Can't believe we got lucky and actually got a picture of the queen. I wasn't even trying to look for her. I was just looking at the comb. I've got three weird pieces that will need to be removed. Question is when?

I regards to the gloves. I was just using mechanics gloves. They are thick but not so thick that you can't feel what you are touching.

Here is a re-cropped picture of the queen. And you are right she is a pretty one. :)



The cells at her 10:00, 11:00 and at her 1:00 look like they may have eggs in them. I can only hope. :)


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Offline Intheswamp

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Re: Day 7 Officially a Beek for one week.
« Reply #7 on: April 28, 2013, 11:03:43 am »
With the pollen evident and apparently the really wet area of nectar/syrup in close proximity to it makes me think that the workers are figuring on the queen doing some egg laying somewhere close to there.

The weird comb needs removing as soon as possible so the bees can beginning repairing it while the rest of the comb is still relatively new. 

Gloves...use your on comfort level in using them, but black is an attractant color for the bees.  There is thought by some that a black color reminds the bees of an animal intruder...skunk maybe?  They are also programmed to go for the eyes, nose, mouth, etc.,.  How do you respond to stings?  Have you tried going gloveless?  I've yet to wear gloves (not saying I won't one day), the last inspection I got away with out a single sting. :)  Even when I get stung on the hands now, it hurts, but I pretty quickly ignore it...I mostly fuss at the lady for being a suicide stinger.  :-\   But, different colonies have different attitudes and the same colony's attitude can change under different conditions.   The nitrile gloves mentioned earlier appear to be a good compromise between gloveless and heavy-gloved.

Ed



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American blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world.  320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror".  Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA.  But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev

"Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they wont come to yours." - Yogi Berra

Offline buzzbee

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Re: Day 7 Officially a Beek for one week.
« Reply #8 on: April 28, 2013, 11:11:48 am »
Yeah, don't let the gloves worry you. Thinner is better ,but as you get more accustomed to things, I think you'll find yourself wearing the gloves less and less unless the hive is hot when you get in. After you do it without gloves a couple times you'll wonder how you did it with them on.

Offline Intheswamp

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Re: Day 7 Officially a Beek for one week.
« Reply #9 on: April 28, 2013, 11:31:16 am »
GB, when you went into your hive did you have bees stinging your gloves? 

Ed
www.beeweather.com 
American blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world.  320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror".  Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA.  But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev

"Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they wont come to yours." - Yogi Berra

Offline Georgia Boy

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Re: Day 7 Officially a Beek for one week.
« Reply #10 on: April 28, 2013, 11:38:50 am »
Not to my knowledge.

This group of bees seem to be angels. Very, Very, Very docile.

When I went in the hive yesterday didn't have the smoker with me and they got a little pissy when I was handling one frame I think it was the one with the queen on it. Not sure. However all they did was buzz a little louder and fly around. They never did zoom at my face or anything else. Didn't ever land on me but did crawl on my hands a little. My wife was only a few feet away with the camera and no protective gear at all and she was fine.

Thanks guys,

David
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Offline Intheswamp

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Re: Day 7 Officially a Beek for one week.
« Reply #11 on: April 28, 2013, 11:47:20 am »
I'll mention one thing here.  Your bees may be angels now, but don't bet on it always.  Right now they're building up and just beginning to have something to defend.  Also, later on they will have a full regiment of guards especially trained in the art of beeng-fu. ;)  The personality of the hive will change somewhat over time...from what I've experienced the larger the hive the more defensive it may be.  Thankfully most of my colonies are gentle...the orneriest one has been my most productive one. ;)

Ed
www.beeweather.com 
American blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world.  320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror".  Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA.  But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev

"Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they wont come to yours." - Yogi Berra

Offline Georgia Boy

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Re: Day 7 Officially a Beek for one week.
« Reply #12 on: April 28, 2013, 11:57:29 am »
LOL  :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

I am sure they will get worse. Just hope not too bad.

Thanks again

David
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"Never give up. Never surrender."

Offline Georgia Boy

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Re: Day 7 Officially a Beek for one week.
« Reply #13 on: April 28, 2013, 02:26:46 pm »
Stopped raining long enough for me to get the weird comb off the frames. Dropped it in the bottom of the hive for them to reuse. Glad that is over with. Now I can leave them alone for a while.

They were a little more pissy today. I think it was because of the weather. They still didn't try to sting though. But they were landing on me more the usual.

David
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Offline Caelansbees

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Re: Day 7 Officially a Beek for one week.
« Reply #14 on: April 28, 2013, 10:42:43 pm »
Up here it is always as thou you add a second box to a package and the flow stops....  Then they get pissy...  This is when the good gloves are key. 
My problem is that I swell on half my stings.  Occasionally a sting to the hand will swell to comical proportions. Sometimes nothing. I like the nitrile because even if I get one it seems it doesn't get too deep.  I've actually been stinging myself a lot recently try to get reactions to drop.  First one out of winter gave me a Popeye arm for a day.

Offline fshrgy99

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Re: Day 7 Officially a Beek for one week.
« Reply #15 on: April 29, 2013, 08:18:00 am »
Up here it is always as thou you add a second box to a package and the flow stops....  Then they get pissy...  This is when the good gloves are key. 
My problem is that I swell on half my stings.  Occasionally a sting to the hand will swell to comical proportions. Sometimes nothing. I like the nitrile because even if I get one it seems it doesn't get too deep.  I've actually been stinging myself a lot recently try to get reactions to drop.  First one out of winter gave me a Popeye arm for a day.

Hi Caelan
Keep some benadryl or other antihistamine handy. Don't work your hive(s) alone or without a cell phone.
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