First Time Inspection...

[UtahBees]

Hello all!

I installed my bees last Saturday (April 21). Things went smootly, and today I went for my first time inspection.

Below is what I saw:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/barl0w/


1.) The feeder (frame feeder) still had sugar water in it. It was maybe 1/5th or 1/6th full, so I plan to put more in on Monday.

2.) I took the first frame (of the top box) out, inspected it (took photos too) and laid it against the hive. I noticed the cells inall frames getting drawn out and a clear liquid in the cells. What is that liquid? Possibly sugar water honey?

3.) Pollen and eggs in the cells as I inspected 2-3 more frames towards the middle.

4.) I removed the empty queen cage.

I looked at about 4-5 frames total (only removing one, and taking the others out one at a time). My smoker went out, although the bees were still calm, I didn't want to get in a pickle - so I only took 35 mins or so to inspect this time. Plus I saw eggs, so I was overjoyed and wanted to leave them alone with the hopes that my short inspection would cause less of a disturbance.

I did notice that there was a lot of activity on the first box, below the one I inspected (I have two small boxes. You can see in my photos). But again, wanting to leave them alone, and with the smoker have gone out, I calmly wrapped things up.

I'll read my bee book and check back here for any second-trip suggestions. I am thinking of filling the feeder on Monday, but for a formal inspection, is waiting until next Saturday sufficient?

Last question. Some of the bee's legs or bodies were stuck with one another (only a very few), and I noticed this as I slowly moved 2 frames (one at a time though) over in the box, getting it ready to lift out and inspect. Is that just really sticky honey?

Regards,

UtahBees

[TwT]

every thing looks like its going good, bee's will store sugar syrup in a few frames and above the eggs, all looks normal, always look for eggs or young larva if you can't find the queen just to make sure she is ok.  About them chaining together, I forget what its called but that's what they do when making wax, sometime when they do this you can see wax pellets under their belly's.....

[buzzbee]

Hi'
It's called festooning and they do it while building comb. :)

[UtahBees]

Ah - Festooning! That's great. I read about it in an earlier post, but didn't know what it looked like. Now I know!!

Thanks BuzzBee and TwT for your comments. A second set of eyes on my photos and confirming what I saw is reassuring. Also thank you to whomever added a direct link to my Flickr photos. I appreciate that too.

I plan to update the photos everytime I go out there, so please continue to comment on them directly if/when the occasion arrives.

I'm learning more also about the Japanese Beetle. We have had a discovery of them here in Utah County, Utah and I may need to move my bees outside of the county limits during June to August for pesticide spraying. I'll post more about that in the Disease and Pest Control area once I hear more info though.

Regards,

UtahBees