2nd Brood Box and C02 Experiment

[Tucker1]

After reading the remarks about CO2 being a possible source of bee aggravation, I thought I'd see if this was something I should avoid when working the hive. So, last night while adding a second brood box I slugged down a soda as I worked the hive. Nothing happened. Even after a few burps, all I got from the girls was ......"Didn't your mother ever teach you to say, 'Excuse me'".

I must say my girls are well behaved. They just keep their little heads down and work. They've slacked off on taking syrup from their top feeder and seem to be spending all of their time making comb and tending to eggs and larva. They've also stopped using the pollen paddy.

From the local bk's, I've learned that the honey flow in our area begins in June. It's been a very cool and wet spring, so it may be a little late this year. With the extra rain, we're hoping that its a strong flow. With luck, I should have 4 to 5 weeks to build up the hive before the flow begins in earnest. Hopefully, by then the 2nd brood box will be built up and my girls can begin making a little honey for me.

Regards,
Tucker1

[Michael Bush]

A good test for aggression is to blow on the bees on the comb.  If they merely move out of the way, they are nice bees.  If they all fly off the comb into your face, they are not.

[bassman1977]

Heh...all mine fail.   :roll:

[Sean Kelly]

A good test for aggression is to blow on the bees on the comb.  If they merely move out of the way, they are nice bees.  If they all fly off the comb into your face, they are not.

I've tried this before and it's interesting to see the personality of each hive.  3 of my hives move nicely out of the way, another doesn't do anything, and the 5th one comes at my face like a hail storm.

Sean Kelly

[Brian D. Bray]

A good test for aggression is to blow on the bees on the comb.  If they merely move out of the way, they are nice bees.  If they all fly off the comb into your face, they are not.

I've tried this before and it's interesting to see the personality of each hive.  3 of my hives move nicely out of the way, another doesn't do anything, and the 5th one comes at my face like a hail storm.

Sean Kelly

My MH hive is in your face without blowing on the bees.  The Italians take several puffs of noxious oxcide (BB) before they start to get riled while I can puff at the OWC and Russians seemingly all day.  Takes several tries just to get them to move around enough to examine the combs they're on.

[Cindi]

Ha, that is funny.  Yep noxious oxide, aka, bad breath.  Anyone got that?  Hee, hee.  When I have tried breathing on the colonies last summer, they moved away really quickly, they were not really annoyed, just moved.  Now when my Sister tried it, they didn't even budge an inch.  Do I have worse breath, hee, hee.  I know that the bees like to go in my Sister's ears, so maybe she has sweet breath and sweet ear wax, eeks!!!!

I have tried to put my breath on the girls to make them move over this year, they don't. They don't even acknowledge that I am blowing my breath on them.  Maybe this year I don't have bad breath, hee, hee.  I have even tried to blow on them by doing that "hah" breath, instead of that "hoo" breath, did that make sense, the ha and the hoo?  Hee, hee, have fun breathing on the bees, and who ever said working the bees isn't entertaining, hee, hee, haw, haw.  Have the most beautiful day, love our glorious lives we live. Cindi