Photo Courtesy of

Sarah Fletcher Photography, 2012

Monday, May 25, 2009

So far, success!

Sorry no pictures, but here is the update:
Sunday
2:00 pm: transferred frames from nucleus colony into hive
2:15 pm: checked each frame, found lots of honey, pollen, brood (soon to be new bees), but no queen
2:30 pm: closed up hive
2:30-3:00 pm: sat nervously in my house watching the hive freaking out because I didn't find the queen
3:10 pm: suited up again on a search for the queen
3:15 pm: drumroll please.......found the queen!
3:20 - 10:00 pm: watched the hive, watched the hive, watched the hive

Monday
5:30 am: Ryan leaves house, peek out our bedroom window and watch the hive
7:00 am: Lily wakes up
7:15 am: Mommy and Lily go outside to check on bees
7:20 am: suit up to make sure all is well
7:25 am: bees must have just woken up too....calm, no buzzing, walking slowly around hive entrance
7:30 - present time: watching hive, watching hive, watching hive

Am I a little obsessed? Yup. I'm wondering if type A personalities and beekeeping are a good match :)

9 comments:

Amanda said...

LOL It's kind of like birth watch with your first baby...
"Was that a contractions?"
"Oh, was that an ache?"
"Was that a wet spot?"

I love it, I can't wait to see it all in action. Let me know a day and time that works for you and I'll bring the kids for a lesson (if it's before Friday I can add it to our homeschool review for this semester!)

leandparkermakes3 said...

I think I would be doing exactly the same thing! I'm glad it's going so well for you! What do you do with the bees in the winter time?

Lisa Marie Trent said...

i LOVE this!!!

It's so intense...even from all the way over here!!

ps. I want a nice picture of the queen. On her new throne.

Lisa Marie Trent said...

Oh, and Liz, I can answer that.

The bee's will cluster together and vibrate, creating a comfortable temperature for all of them to survive the winter in (98 degrees), and remain undisturbed.

"What if you disturb them?" --you ask,

"You DON'T." --replies Amy, with wide eyes.

Anonymous said...

After reading these comments, it sounds like Lisa is a budding beekeeper! Ames, this is amazing - truly...I am in awe of you! What a great adventure. Lily is so lucky to grow up with a mommy like you - and with bees to take care of! She will have lots of cool show-and-tells when she starts school...and just think of career day! Whoopee!!!

Lisa Marie Trent said...

Monica! I SHOULD do this! After all, I DO live in the Beehive State..

Stephanie Saunders said...

So when do you get to collect your first batch of honey?

Anonymous said...

I'm ready for pictures of the bees! How are things going over there?

kel said...

i need an update on the bees. it's been more than two weeks since i was there (so good to see you guys).