How is my first hive doing?

[Steven T Ruddy]

Hi everyone. I'm just wondering how well my hive is progressing. I installed it on 4-20. about 6 weeks later 6-2 I added a deep super. Today I did my first inspection since then. In the new super they have started comb on 3 1/2 frames with open honey on more than half of them. They have not added anymore comb to the original brood super. It still has about 1 1/2 frames that aren't drawn. The rest are packed with lots of capped brood, some open honey, a little capped honey, and pollen stores.

When I was inspecting the brood super there was a point when they started rushing at my hood. I could tell they were pissed and after me, but I don't know what provoked them. I smoked my hood and them and they settled.

One thing that surprised me was the amount of visible pollen stores. I have 15 very large Chestnut trees that they are really enjoying and a very large amount of returning workers are loaded down with pollen. I'm not sure what's happening to it as I didn't notice a lot of cells with it.

[codeboy823]

Too bad you don't have a second hive to compare this one to!

Sounds like if they are all still alive and making more bees then you are doing well =) Not sure when your main nectar flow is in California, but it seems like they are doing well.

[Tenbears]

They seem to be on normal course of development. Healthy and active.