New Tools

I checked on all the hives on Friday using two new tools. I spoiled myself with a frame gripper. This is a fancy set of tongs that grip a frame so you can pick it up one handed. I should have gotten one last year! The best $14 I've spent in a long while!

The other new tool in my beekeeping life is a hair pin! I went to my wondrous hairdresser, Kristin M., owner of Edge here in town. I was planning a very very short do since I am frustrated and out of sorts over my hair constantly being in my face under my veil. Once you are zipped in, tucking your hair behind your ears is just not an option. Hair bands don't stay in with my veil moving about either.

Wise woman that she is, Kristin showed me a couple of ways to twist my hair that are secured with two hair pins on each side, and viola! hair that stayed out of my face for two hours while I looked at each and every frame. It even looked good!

As I expected, Red's hive is still mooping along. They are still sweet and gentle. I am ever hopeful that they will decide to swarm. Not because I want to get rid of her. I think she's a great queen. I'd love some of her daughters and would requeen my other hives in favor of her daughters in a heartbeat. ... But that is just not going to happen any time soon. They are raising more babies and had one more frame with brood than last week.

Trey's lucky hive is doing great. They are still frisky but I am expecting her babies to become the dominate bees in the hive soon. I saw capped larvae and this up coming check hope to see her babies emerging.

And then there is Hope. She still is not laying eggs in the upper chamber. Her girls are gorgeous and numerous but not quite... enough yet. I took the people-honey box out with me - that is how much I was hoping that it was time. Alas, they had not yet built out the blank frames I gave them a few weeks ago. So I gave them some super sweet sugar water to help them along.