Beekeeping Week 2: Our first hive check

Well one week after hiving our bees, we did our first hive check.  It was a fairly cool day, so most of the bees were in the hive.  Because of the temperature, we didn't want to disturb the bees too much or take too much time gawking and cool down the hive unnecessarily.  Although we did not spot eggs (the frames were way to crowded) we did spot both queens.  The girls had done a great job of drawing out comb on 2 or 3 frames per hive.  Next week the weather should be warmer and we should be able to get a better look and chance to hopefully spot eggs and larvae.
Brimhall Bees - Youtube

Took off the lid and the feeder.  Our bees haven't been drinking the syrup from our feeder - maybe they don't like the flavor of the additive, or are just getting enough from the natural nectar flow around here.

Using our fun Dadant smoker that my parents brought back from Iowa.

Checking the frames.  My husband checked one hive and I checked the other.  He's the crazy one with no gloves.  Happily,  no one got stung.

As you spread the frames apart, the girls hang onto each other.  So funny!

Removing the empty queen cages.

Can you spot the queen?

Burr comb from one of the hives where the frames were spread by the queen cage.  

Beekeeping: Week 1

I know - Beekeeping wasn't one of the original 12 domestic arts, but it's our latest adventure and I think that bee husbandry can qualify as both domestic and certainly an art.  We've been planning and preparing for this for over a year and finally our lovely bees are here.  So here's a look at our first week of what I hope will be a long, adventurous run at being beekeepers.  So far it has been very interesting and somewhat therapeutic - a shared hobby is always a bonus.
Here's a link to some youtube videos: Youtube Brimhall Bees

Picked up our 2 packets (3 lbs each) of Italian bees at Deseret Hive Supply in Ogden Utah.  We kept them in the garage for a day following the recommendation of Deseret Hive Supply.

My husband installed one packet into one hive and I installed the other.  I felt really bad to be squishing a few bees here and there in the process, but it was inevitable.

Here's a look at the inside of a packet box/container.

We had to get used to working around each other in bulky suits, unfamiliar tasks and somewhat cramped quarters on our bee platform.

Our 11 year old daughter wanted to be part of the action and loves checking on "the girls".

Sugar syrup with ProHealth added.  (As a side note - a few days later, the bees didn't seem to be drinking much syrup.  There is however a fairly strong nectar flow on right now, so hopefully that accounts for it.)

We left the cans and packet boxes near the hives to allow all the bees to clear out and find their new homes.  At our daughter's request I named the blue hive the "bluebells" and the yellow hive the "buttercups".

I check on them during the day and text my husband a picture of the hives so he can get an update at work.  Yes, we are that much of apiarist-nerds.

One of our buttercup gals all tuckered out.  And yes I do talk to the bees as I watch them and check to see if they're bringing pollen in.