First pic of our queen

[magwheels]

We went in with the idea of checking out the status of queen cell development, finding the queen and splitting the hive. On close inspection- the only somewhat developed queen cell we have is either not capped or it has already hatched from the side (?). There were bees all over it and crawling into it, I'd guess they are still prepping it.
As novice beekprs (with only one hive- 2 months old) we decided to leave things as they are and not take the chance to spilt right now.
It was great to find the queen though.
Of course she was on the 2nd to last frame we checked!

I added a second super. When we checked them a few days ago and they were hardly on the first super but now they're all over it.

We were too distracted to take a fun "full frame" pic to enable a nice "spot the queen" shot, but here are a couple of close ups.

I think I see a red mite on one of the bees towards the top of the first pic. Hmm, our first queen pic and our first mite pic...

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/8248/777484832627236ac99beo4.jpg

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/2271/7774818689837b41e23bpr0.jpg

[FANNBEE]

She looks great.

[BjornBee]

Nice queen! But those mites have to go..... ;)

[WVbeekeeper]

yep, that's a mite.

[loggermike]

Nice pics, good looking bees and of course we all feel the same about seeing a #$%$#@& mite riding a bee.

[magwheels]

Thanks everyone. Yup, I really liked that picture till I noticed the mite.

I had planned to try powdered sugar/ crisco board for the mites today. I'm embarassed to say that as I stood over the hive about to pour the sugar into the sifter- I saw that I had instead brought whole wheat flour.
Wow did I feel like an idiot.

No wonder I'm a terrible baker.

[Dave W]

A bee about 2" down and 1" from LH side (top photo) has a "red spot". At least 5 other bees also have red spots. I'm not sure they are mites.

Am I blind?

[Oldbee]

A Very nice queen! Don't mind those on Beesource who "inspect" all photos [with a magnifing glass] for those "infamous" mites. They can turn you into a hot dripping caldron of [embarrrasing] wax; CHIN UP!! Nice photo! You should send that second photo to ABJ or BC next year.

[BjornBee]

Dave, you been drinkin? I don't see 5. But I don't see elephants with pink spots either... ;)

Hot dripping caldron....embarrasing....Heck, I'm sure for some, thats the first mite they have ever seen in years of beekeeping ;) FANNBEE did many a great service by providing this opportunity. Except for those in denial and "think" they have no mites.... ;)

[Dave W]

>drinkin? . . .

Yep; water, tea, cokes, I'm about to bust! :)

>I don't see elephants . . .

No wunder your mites are hard to find! :)

>pink spots either . . .

Maybe YOU should DRINK more! :)

>thats the first mite they have ever seen . . .

Is that REALLY a mite?

[BjornBee]

Not that I've ever had one myself.... ;) But from what "others" have told me....its a mite! :)

[dug_6238]

Mite outlined in yellow. Difficult to see unless you have a good monitor and good eyes. I do have a pretty good monitor...
http://s190.photobucket.com/albums/z219/dug_6238/?action=view&current=mite-1.jpg

[Dave W]

Oh yes, I see it now, as plain as a nose on a face :)

thanx!

[CWBees]

I saw what looks to be one mite on top of one of the bees thorax. I usually see mites on the abdomen however.

[Dave W]

I have seen mites most every where on a bee, but "often" they are riding on the bees thorax.