I've got bees!

[Slowmodem]

Lots and lots and lots of bees!  One of the hives didn't seem too busy coming and going, but when I went into the hive, there were thousands of bees everywhere!  I was so happy.  I finally got some through the winter.  However, the top super where I thought they'd all be was still full of capped syrup/honey from last fall.

The other hive was the same way.  Lots of bees and the top super was full of syrup/honey, too.

We did find the queen and brood in the middle box in each hive.  We put those boxes on the bottom and the other deep on top of that, and replaced the mediums back on top of those.  I've got to check the weather.  It's still too cool for a fume board, but I do have some escapes.  I might put them on for a couple of days so that I can get all the bees out of those top supers.  I could freeze the frames, or put them outside to feed the bees.  I can't have them on the hives when I medicate.

but I'm so happy that I have bees!!!

This is a frame from the brood box.  It has some capped syrup/honey, too:



You can't see it very well, but there's some capped honey around the edges, but this frame is full of capped brood:



On each picture on the top and bottom of the frames you can see drone brood.  I didn't notice any mites on the drone, but I did see some mites in the removable tray in the bottom.

[Jen]

Wheeeeeooooo would ya look at that! Just makes me giggly for ya 

[G3farms]

ATTA BOY!!

First time in the hives this year has to feel good. Was a little cool today might be why they were not too active. Pull those frames and freeze if you have to. Good to add to some splits or a caught swarm to get them going or add back to a weak hive this fall. No need to sit them out and let them rob, heck the honey is already in a frame and capped.

Did you make sure the queen had plenty of room to keep laying?

[Slowmodem]

ATTA BOY!!

First time in the hives this year has to feel good. Was a little cool today might be why they were not too active. Pull those frames and freeze if you have to. Good to add to some splits or a caught swarm to get them going or add back to a weak hive this fall. No need to sit them out and let them rob, heck the honey is already in a frame and capped.

Did you make sure the queen had plenty of room to keep laying?

Thanks!  Yep, plenty of room.  The other deep has some pollen and some capped syrup (I'm still feeding them right now), but lots of open cells to work with.  This applies to both hives.  But I have a couple of empty hives with swarm bait in them just in case one or both decide to swarm.  By the way, these are both from nucs I started with last May.  The two packages I started didn't make it.  But I think that was because I was down for a month last spring with my back, and couldn't take care of them well enough and feed them enough.

[Slowmodem]

I've got to get me a good camera one of these days instead of that phone camera!

[apisbees]

Sounds Like you may of over fed a little to much in the fall. But better to have fed to much than not enough. feeding to much when you provide the colony an extra super to store it is OK. Feeding to much and the bees plugging out the brood chambers can be worse for the bees than not feeding enough, cause feed can be supplied to the bees in the spring if they are running short. Bees trying to winter when they do not have open cells to cluster in sometimes don't make it.
Good to hear they are alive and you and they are happy.

[tbonekel]

Congratulations on the great first inspection of the year!

My advise on the camera is get you a cheap one off ebay. Around 5 megapixels should be really cheap. Use that to take pics of your bees. There is a good chance it's going to get propalized by your fingers the more you use it. I am now using an old one we use to use as our main camera. It's just a little point and shoot and works pretty good for taking quick, one handed shots.

[Lburou]

...... I can't have them on the hives when I medicate........

Those pictures look mighty good!  Please, help me understand your reference to medication. 

[Slowmodem]

...... I can't have them on the hives when I medicate........

Those pictures look mighty good!  Please, help me understand your reference to medication. 

I am going to put in a couple of Mite Away Quick Strips in each hive.  The instructions say to wait a few days after you've been in the hive before applying.  So Tuesday or Wednesday I'll put them in the hives.  They stay in for seven days.  They I will take them out.  Then I will be ready to put the honey supers on.  I was told at our last bee meeting that if the weather cooperates, April 15th should be the start of the poplar flow.

[G3farms]

Forgot to get back to you on the populars. Here they are starting to leaf out big time, will not be long now. Could make it by the 15th.

[DonMcJr]

CONGRATS! 

[efmesch]

I'm real happy for you Greg. 
Save those full frames of syrup for building up any swarms you catch or for splts you make.  Be careful not to let the syrup mix with the REAL honey your bees produce.

[blueblood]

Great news! Thanks for the photos!