First serious inspection today

[TimLa]

A week ago today, I hived 4# of Italians and a queen in a deep.  A couple days later, they hit the feeder, and drained a quart in three days.

Today, the center three frames had bees all over them, and they are drawing comb!  Yippee!  Nothing capped yet, but the cells look to be about ready for the Queen Of All She Surveys to lay, if she hasn't started already....

Bees are also found on all frames, just a few on the outer ones.  I put everything back together (having pulled only one frame at a time, and just long enough to look at it), and watched the return of the hunter-gatherers (hopefully, just gatherers).  About 1 in ten had pollen sacs filled, ranging from white to dark orange.  I still have a couple feeders 10 feet away, but I think I'll pull the boardman feeder tomorrow (it's empty anyway).

Throughout all of this, I puffed a little smoke in the entrance whenever the buzzing grew noticeably louder, which seemed to work.  No stings, a few head-butts, all in all pretty calm hive.

So, here's a question:  I have a heck of a time getting a grip on the frames to pull them out.  I'm thinking needlenose pliers.
Next question (which I'm sure I'll find just as soon as I post this and search for it), when should I start to see capped brood?

I only wish I had started doing this 9 years ago when I moved here....

-T

[Bill W.]

Do you have a hive tool (little pry-bar)?  It seems to do the trick for me.  I also keep a box knife handy to cut between the frame spacers if they get really gummed up.

Also, are you using gloves?  If so, that might be the problem.  It is a lot easier to get a grip without gloves.  If you feel a strong need to use gloves, you might want to get a frame lifter.  I just got one as part of some free gear and it is a lot handier than I would have imagined.  It makes one handed manipulation of frames pretty easy (once cut or levered free).

[Brian D. Bray]

The hive tool has 2 ends, straight and curved, between them you can cut the wax and propolis holding the frames together and pry the frames out of the box and slide them back in.  It might take a little practice but it the most useful tool the beekeeper has.  As to getting the frames out of the box: if you pry apart the frames on each side of the 2nd or 3rd frame in it is easier to pry out of the hive (remove) and it doesn't roll the bees against a hard surface (the side of the hive).  With one frame removed you then have room the pry and slide the other frames fairly easily.

[Michael Bush]

I use this:
http://www.beeequipment.com/products.asp?pcode=591

The hook end lifts the frames.

Or this:
http://www.beeequipment.com/products.asp?pcode=764

Which will let you get a grip on them.

[Cindi]

TimLa.  You are doing excellent, now your adventures are truly beginning and there will be new ones all the time, yeah!!!  Have the best of this wonderful and great day, we all deserve that!!  Cindi