Gonne have NEW bees!

[poka-bee]

Checked out the hives this afternoon, they are both different!  The green team decided to go with the upper box (I'm using 8frm meds) & has drawn out comb S to N. (small end of boxes facing E & W) had 5 in upper box with larva YIPPEE & capped, the cappings are sorta domed & yellow.  There was pollen & nectar in the spaces around the brood & in 3 of the bottom box frames. They had burr comb on the side of the box where I hadn't had the frames evenly spaced.  Some pollen & liquid in those so I scraped em off  into the super covering the baggie.  Blue team is in the bottom super, 6 of 8 drawn out w larva & brood also. But they were the frames in the middle of the hive.  They had 4 in the upper super w nectar & pollen only.  It was so cool to see the little baby bees curled up in their cozy little food beds!  How can you tell if some have hatched already?  Why is most of the comb yellow?  There is some whitish comb also.  Combs were not totally even in both boxes, probably cause I put the packages onto sm cell they aren't used to.  The stuff they drew wasn't exactly sm cell but probably not large either. Now I know why JP & John do the hives in their underware..it was flippen hot in that jacket & veil! Don't like not being able to push the hair outa my eyes!  I didn't use my gloves & only got butted a couple of times, no stings or really angry ladies, no banana smell!  Some flew around me looking & some explored my hands looking for any danger or something to get upset about.  I am way calmer than I thought I would be, they are just so cool!!! I can't wait to see my new fuzzy grandchildren!!  Jody

[Michael Bush]

>Checked out the hives this afternoon, they are both different!

That's normal.

>the cappings are sorta domed & yellow.

Workers are "sorta domed".  Drones are very domed.

> How can you tell if some have hatched already?

Just emerged bees are fuzzy.

> Why is most of the comb yellow?

Pollen.

> There is some whitish comb also.  Combs were not totally even in both boxes, probably cause I put the packages onto sm cell they aren't used to.

That's normal.

> The stuff they drew wasn't exactly sm cell but probably not large either.

A ruler will answer that.

[Shizzell]

Jody,

It sounds like your doing just fine =)

Hey, if your bees are new, then go ahead and take off that veil and suit. I really only use gloves and my veil when I'm either taking honey, or investigating a very strong hive. A little smoke to a weak hive will solve everything.

A good rule to remember is Michael Bush's simple comment "Everything works if you let it".

Most people overlook this, especially when beekeeping. There are hundreds of ways to finish the job in keeping.

Good luck with this awesome hobby!

Jake