See that tiny grain of rice on the left?
That's a bee egg --- proof positive that our queen is still in business.
On Monday morning, I walked Lucy, then carried that calm to the bee
hive for our second hive check. The bees were a bit chilly (55 F
outside), so I kept the visit quick, sliding each frame up for a look
before letting it drop gently back into place.
This time, I felt like I was dancing with the bees. I didn't
squash anybody, and I felt like I could have left all of the protective
equipment in the trailer. I was proud of their hard work ---
eight frames were being built on, all straight down despite our lack of
full frame foundation. Pictures after the cut...
Here's one of the frames being built on. The bees seem inclined
to start from the corner where the queen was hanging in her little box.
And a gratuitous smoker photo.