Ah, there's good news tonight!

[Retroguy]

Went on vacation for a week and a half and inspected my hives today.   

Italians have a queen (I must be blind -- she's marked).  Caught sight of her this afternoon moving about and doing her job.  Got to see a couple of the gals doing waggle dances too!  Plenty of capped brood, good solid pattern.  I've come to the conclusion that I can't spot eggs through my headgear.

Checked the Carniolans, plenty of capped brood, good pattern there too.

Both colonies were very mellow today.  Every time I visit the Carnis I manage to get tapped at least once and today was no different but I'm pretty sure it was my fault for hugging one of the girls too tight while replacing a frame.  Previous hits have been from a more aggressive bunch who came out to discuss the situation with me.

I assume they're starting to bring in goldenrod but I don't have a sense of smell and my youngest son with the sensitive nose didn't get up to help me today or I'd know for certain.  If he finds it offensive, he'll let me know.  LOL

Now to set up a visit with my mentor to see what he thinks I should do next.

Also have to prepare for putting in clover for the Fall so it establishes itself and is ready in the Spring.  I can now get to my grain drill which I couldn't do in the Spring.

Too bad I had to go back to work tonight and ruin the mood.   

[Perry]

I have found the "newer" veils to have a tighter screening. They don't allow blackflies through (yay) but make seeing eggs through them difficult. My old metalic screened veil (my first) gives me the best view.

[riverbee]

use a magnifying lens retro.........

[Perry]

use a magnifying lens retro.........

That's for old folks.
If anyone is watching you, look and lie.

[Retroguy]

I'm holding the frame with two hands River and, yes, there are ways to use a "third hand" to hold the glass.  We have a couple of inspection lamps that I need to pitch out at work since the lamps won't come on anymore.  Might have to utilize them but cover them up when not in use.  Had an uncle once who smelled hot varnish in his apartment.  He had one of those convex/concave 2-sided mirrors in his bedroom and found the mirror was focusing the sun's rays on the side of his dresser.  Nice scorch mark with a charcoal center.  LOL

I figure that if I see capped brood, most likely all's well.

[lazy shooter]

I have lens implants due to cataract surgery several years back.  My implants have a built-in uv filter in them and when I walk into a building it takes my eyes about two or three minutes to adjust to the new lighting conditions.  I almost never see eggs.  It takes a special moment for me to see eggs.  If I see fresh brood and larva, I assume it is good to go.