Now that my observation hive has matured (been through a season), it is getting near on impossible to see eggs in cells because of the reflection of light on the glass.
The comb is now quite dark and since there is so much reflection from the glass I just can't see eggs anymore.
When the comb was lighter is was easy as pie to see eggs. Now much of the frames are backfilled with nectar & pollen (good as they will need stores for winter), and I just can't get the light right to peer down into a cell (doesn't help that the bees are pretty packed in).
I could see older large larvae now if they were present, but queen has really slowed down and I am trying to pick up any eggs. If I use a flash light all I get is reflection blinding me in the eyes.
Any tricks to this that anyone knows. I never have problems seeing eggs in my regular hives. I also don't want to open the observation hive up (1- I don't need to see them, and 2- its a pain to take this observation hive down and open it up).
And YES I KNOW I DON'T HAVE TO SEE EGGS, but part of the fun of having an observation hive is seeing the minutia of what is going on all the time and it bugs me that the cells are so tough to see in now that the comb is really dark and light doesn't want to penetrate because of reflection.
Figure someone might know an easy trick (figure some type of red light or something might work, but haven't tried anything like that)
Place the flashlight against the glass. Then there won't be any reflection.
>Place the flashlight against the glass. Then there won't be any reflection.
That's what I do. Play with the angles to get it in the bottom of the cell, but keep it close to the glass
also place reading glasses on face.
>also place reading glasses on face.
If you're over 40...
without reading glasses I can hardly see the bees! :shock: absolute necessity for seeing the eggs, which I can see easily normally, but no matter how I play the angles with the flash light I can't seem to get light into the cells where I can get my eyesight into at the same time for the observation hive (at least now - when comb was lighter and more transparent to light themselves it was easy).
I am also using an LED flashlight, might have to try a standard one to see if putting a regular flashlight right up near the glass as suggested will work.
Thanks
Glasses with polarized lenses might help. They certainly take the reflection and glare off the water when I am looking for trout.