I installed my liquid feeder on the hive a few minutes ago. I'm glad because it will help jumpstart the production of comb for storage and baby bees. 
They seem to have enjoyed their sugar block though.
I'm getting pretty good at lighting the smoker and producing thick, cool smoke. I'm using a blend of cedar chips and burlap. The bees don't seem to mind me at all. I'll check on Bee Arthur this weekend.
Have a good evening! 
Hello everyone, hope you're having a good Tuesday. We're slow at work so I took 1/2 of my remaining 1 day of use it or lose it vacation. I'm taking the other half Friday. So I'm hanging with the girls of the Yellow Hive and going to vote with my wife soon. We're trying to remove our wanker of a mayor. He's shady and an asshole IMHO. On our return I'm putting 1 gallon of 1:1 simple syrup on the hive. We might visit a nursery too.
Have a pleasant afternoon!
A worker bee returning at days end after a foraging flight. There are small amounts of pollen visible. Once everything is open and blooming they should return covered.
It's official, Bee Arthur, Queen of the Yellow Hive is loose! They already ate the candy plug so she walked right out and down the 3rd frame when I removed the metal disc cover. I'd have gotten her picture but she took off into the hive.
On a secondary note, notice all that bright yellow by the reduced entrance? IT'S POLLEN, THEY WERE FORAGING!!! I'll check back in on Saturday to see if Bee Arthur is laying brood.
Have a great evening friends! 
I'm seeing more bees every time I check! After work I plan on uncorking the queen cage so she can get out and start laying eggs. Ideally we'll have 50,000-60,000 bees in two brood boxes by summer.
I'm so relieved to see bees outside my hive after days of thunderstorms and freezing temperatures. We're looking at a frost tonight but improving weather after that. I'm really hoping these guys can make it.
All quiet in the bee yard. Hopefully the cluster is keeping warm in there. It's getting cold the next few nights and it's stressing me a bit. The straggler bees remaining after the second package shaking are secure in the garage. I'm hoping the 60° weather Monday will see some of them get into the hive.
Have a good rest of your night! 
These bees chose to stay out in the rain and cold all night instead of going in the hive. So I'm using sugar and a hair dryer to bring them back to life. So far I'd say 80 to 90% or alive just waterlogged.
Last bee post for now. I don't want to over do it. Here are the package stragglers making their way in slowly.
Here are some pictures Melissa shot during the install. The 1st is me preparing the hive and package for install. The 2nd I'm inspecting the queen to make sure she and her attendants were ok. The 3rd shot is me shaking the bees like they owe me money into the brood box.
I'm glad it's done but wish the remaining ones in the package would walk in there faster.
Have a wonderful afternoon friends! I'm sipping coffee and getting my daughter from school.
There's currently 3 lb of bees which is approximately 10 to 20,000 in the backseat of my car.
Today my beekeeping adventure begins for real. I'll be picking up my 3lbs package of bees and marked, mated queen at noon. Unfortunately the weather here is less than ideal for the installation process but I'll have to work around that. Hopefully they can get going in these less than favorable conditions.
Have a wonderful Friday everyone! I'll share some of the install process if it's not pouring rain later.
I'm installing beeswax foundations in my brood box frames like I'm a beekeeper or something.
Seriously, I've found this foray into beekeeping very rewarding.
I hope you're all having as much fun as me this evening.
My fully vented beekeeping veil arrived yesterday but I never had a chance to get it out. It's much cooler than my full suit.
The picture is me wearing the beekeeping veil with full eye contact.
MORE POLLINATORS NEEDED
Sad news for startups like #HarpHives #Bees
Honey bee colonies could face 70% losses in 2025, impacting agriculture
https://abcnews.go.com/US/honey-bee-colonies-face-70-losses-2025-impacting/story?id=120191720
The in apiary inspections got cancelled due to high winds. 
Now I'm scheduled for the class a couple days AFTER our package of bees come in. 
Not ideal but I've studied enough I can get them in there and started.
Good morning friends, TGIF! Today is looking better than last night. My facial swelling is down 50% or more and I've got a half day at work. This afternoon I'll be attending my final beekeeping class where we'll be inspecting actual hives. This is the class I've been looking forward to the whole time.
Have a wonderful Friday and beginning to your weekend! If anything interesting happens in class, I'll let you know.
I'm playing with an image generator to produce a label for our beekeeping endeavor. What does everybody think about this?
This pile of wood chips is kicking my ass!
Wood chip pile: 1
Brian: 0
Besides that it was a normal day of work. I got my bee supplements and a full frame of complete wax comb so my promiscuous queen can start laying eggs right away. Plus the workers can store some nectar and pollen. I'm going to clean up and have dinner.
Enjoy your Wednesday evening friends!
I've made considerable progress on my apiary (bee yard) today. They are completely level and spaced good for working on them. We also planted 12 raspberry starts of 3 or 4 different varieties. Along with the shopping it was a productive day. I need to run to Isabees bee supplies and get a bottle of Honey-B-Healthy supplements and I'll have everything but the bees.
How is everyone else doing?
Have a wonderful evening!
