Sunday, May 17, 2009

May 16th inspection

I did my second inspection today. I notices the following things:
  • There are a few bees inside the quilt. They made a furrow. I wonder if it is to get more ventilation?
  • The top box has some cross combs between several frames, but the lateral frames are free.
  • The top box is heavy.
  • The second box has some weight, but less that the top box. It is about 60-70% built. This is an estimation, as I did not remove any frames.
  • The third and fourth boxes are empty.
  • I need a frame lifter, I am not confident enough and don't have the dexterity to remove frames without making the bees get defensive.
  • I found two drones. Good thing I can recognize them. One of them was on top of the top bar ("what is the queen doing here ??? wait a minute..."), the other one outside on a brick. Both looked amazingly lazy compared to the busy workers.
  • I am not yet a beekeeper (I am a "bee haver"). Lots of progress still to be made. I am crushing a lot of bees.


I put a piece of burlap on top of the hive, below the quilt, and another one on top of the wood chips inside the quilt.

I then closed the hive. I later realized tens of bees were trapped between the bottom of the quilt, and the piece of burlap. When I realized it, most were dead. A few escaped.
I was confident enough to remove the roof and lift the quilt to let bees escape, without wearing a bee suit.

I did not get stung yet.

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