Queen Cell

This queen cell was removed from hive #3 before re-queening the hive... 3/4" long and about 1/2" wide..

Hive #3 Re-Queened

After checking hive #3 a couple of weeks ago. Found out that the queen wasn't doing a very good job.
By looking at the brood patterns on each frame. She was having issues laying new eggs before the worker bees filled the brood cells with sugar syrup. So, they were working harder to store winter supplies then she was putting new eggs in the cells. She has to make new brood faster then they are dieing off or the hive dies as well.
So, today was time to re-queen. We found her and had to kill her to prevent issues with the new queen being introduced to the hive as the leading lady now.
I really hated having to killer but, that's what has to be done in order to re-queen a hive.
In nature the old queen would have been superseded by the new queen. So, she only had one of two options. #1 she could leave when the new queen hatched out or #2 be killed by the new queen and other worker bees because of the new queen having better pheromones telling the other bees in the hive that she is now the new boss. So, the out come would have been about the same for the older queen. That's just nature and beekeepers have to deal with it for the survival of the hive and the out come means the rest of the hive will make it through winter. This also means that there will be more honey for the beekeeper and the next generation of bees. I am always amazed about what I learn about my bees and the work that it takes to have good healthy bees and end result a lot of honey. Love my bees.

Hives Doing Great

After checking the hives out and getting a good report on their health. I added a new deep super to the #1 hive. They are coming a long well enough that I feel they well weather the winter this year. Will be their first.

Just an Update

My third hive that was put in place three weeks ago seem to be coming along okay.
I keep feeding syrup to them to help them make new cone and fill out as much foundation
as possible.
I want them to be as ready as soon as they can be for this coming winter.
Nancy, the AG. Bee inspector is coming by today to check out the hives. I think all will
be well.

My Third Hive Yaaaa...!

Today was a great day. I finally got my third bee hive setup and the ladies are doing fine this evening.
It was a really hot day and I was a little concerned about getting my bees in their hive at high noon.
It was about 98' degrees and a slight breeze but, they had to get put in their new home. I put a little smoke on them with my smoker and they were so calm I didn't even use my bee suit to transfer the frames from the nuc to my brood box/hive.
Put a front entrance feeder on the hive box and just let the ladies get themselves cooled off a bit and they settled right down to business as usual..
Love my bees...

Pictures will be here tomorrow evening...

My Bees Keeping Cool

Here are my bees cooling off after a really hot day. I was surprised to see them

at 9:30 pm outside the hive hanging like a beard from the landing board....

Always something new and neat to see when it comes to my bees...

Happy Bees

It's been pretty hot the last few days. But, the ladies are doing well. Got a little rain today and it cooled off everything and my plants got a break from the heat which they needed.
Had some cold water melon while watching TV and gave my bees a taste. Didn't take them long to locate the melon and they started landing on it licking up the melon juice from the rhine...
Hoping to have my third hive sometime this week...Still enjoying my bees..