[bbruff22]

Hello,
I'm a full-on newbee. I started April 10 with three packages of Carniolans. One had a dead queen and the package later absconded. One swarmed in early June, and I retrieved it and rehived it. I've had lots of other issues and have asked a ton of questions of my local beeks in the NEKBA, and here of course. It's been a stressful but awesome experience. I'm hooked!

If you're like me, you've probably got a half dozen questions and issues you're researching right now, but let's see how many of you have a good hive that you're proud of, and want to brag on. Please share. It'll be an encouragement to us.

I'll start by presenting a hive I affectionately call "Hive #1." Once they got established, this hive has been awesome. The queen lays in an almost solid sheet pattern, the bees are quiet on the frames and gentle, and they've filled a honey super that I've already harvested 4 frames from. I'm attaching a shot of one of the frames.

As for their honey, I gave a half pint to a buddy that eats a lot of honey and avoids processed sugar. He said it was awesome tasting, and I trust him. I thought it was amazing too, but I'm jaded. Well, that's hive #1.

Please share a good one with us.

 

[flyin-lowe]

Not wanting to "brag" on my hive because I hate to jinks myself. I started this year and was only able to get my hands on 1 package of bees and it was a little late to start. I was given drawn comb frames to start so that really helped speed things up. A few days after I installed the package the queen was already laying eggs. Here is a pic of one of my frames a few weeks after installing the package.

 

[jjohnsind]

I'm actually a little disappointed in my results so far. I installed a nuc June 6, and saw only one new full frame after a month (feeding with baggies). With 3 1/2 empty frames to go about a week later, I went ahead and added the second deep and added a top feeder. About the 5 week mark, it seems like my bee population has finally exploded. Now they seem to go through a gallon of syrup every 3 days and they are drawing comb pretty fast on the top deep (don't know what, if anything, has been accomplished in the bottom deep yet). I guess the only thing to brag about now is the number of bees I've grown to. The orientation flights are a sight to see every late afternoon recently.

 

[Backyarder]

Not the best hive we have but our experimental hive.

Picked up this swarm on may 11. Shortly after hiving them they went queenless. Don't think we missed her. Maybe she was failing already.
I now know what a hive looks like when they are depressed. We gave them frames of brood/eggs from another hive, one of which was mostly drone comb (oops) One a week for three weeks.
Numbers decreased, but they made queen cells and hatched their own queen. The first brood cycle didn't look promising, a little sporadic, but they had honey and pollen everywhere.
Maybe she just didn't have anywhere to lay? Maybe there weren't enough bees of the right age to build comb?
Today I saw an orientation flight that gives me hope. Lots of new fuzzy bees. I think they have turned the corner. I hope they have enough time to prepare for winter.

 

[707tothe907]

I'm a first year beekeeper and got a brand new package on foundation this year. It now has 2 fillled deeps and 2 empty supers full of drawn comb because I just harvested nearly 60lbs of honey.

Wish I had pictures for you all.

 

[OC_Bees]

Started 2 hives of Italians first week in April from 3 lb packages. They both have done well in 9 5/8'' 10 frame deeps, both have 2 honey supers on now. Each hive has one super fully capped. 2nd super they are still working on but 5 out of 10 frames are full of honey and they are pulling the comb out on the other frames. I have been very impressed with their progress so far this year.

They get a lot of the pollen from tulip poplar in the lot behind my house. I also went a bit crazy in taking half an acre of my fescue and planting crimson clover. They worked that and I replanted buckwheat because it matures in 30 days. The bumble bees love the stuff too.

I just want to get both hives through the winter not concerned about taking honey yet.

 

[garyprunty]

"I was given drawn comb frames to start so that really helped speed things up." Flyin Lowe

If you started this year how do you know that?

 

[SpringGreen]

I started with two packages this year too, installing them April 9. One took off like a bullet....fast buildup, solid laying pattern, hauling something in. The other was slower, but the queen is really quite good as compared to the criteria laid out in a book or two, and now her hive is huge. Both built out a combo of plastic and foundationless frames (no drawn comb) and packed it full of honey and bees. I wasn't expecting any spare honey at all, but I took some the other day for table use and might be able to take more. I expected all kinds of trouble after studying here, reading books and talking to some locals, but it's been ok.

One hive has six 8 frame mediums, the other is five. The bigger one has so much bearding on it all.the.time that I'm slightly concerned about crowding, and thus swarming, in it.

I made three small nucs off the fast one. One nuc has a queen I let the bees raise and have been moved into a hive, the other two have purchased VSH queens. I'm focusing now on building the nucs up for winter.

Wish I had photos too...I don't have a smartphone and haven't hauled my Nikon out to the hives (I don't really want honey and propolis all over it).

 

[flyin-lowe]

"I was given drawn comb frames to start so that really helped speed things up." Flyin Lowe

If you started this year how do you know that?

Being new I don't know how long it takes to draw comb, but my queen was laying eggs within a couple days of being released. I am guessing had I put the package in a hive with no foundation or comb would not have had frames full of eggs on my first inspection.

 

[imthegrumpyone]

Ya I guess I'll brag a little, it's been more ups than downs. Three weeks ago had some new (full and heavy honey combs) tear apart, got three quarts out of them. Pissed them off for a couple days too, Better Half got tapped on the chin, she was not happy. I've left them alone to clean up the mess. I peeked yesterday and low and behold, they cleaned up the mess, rebuilt the three or four combs that were toast, and added two more. Looks like some more honey coming my way. They're still working like there's no tomorrow. They say the girls know better than bee keeps (well not all) me fore sure. Thanks Bee Weaver for your up beat hard working girls, and Bee Source for all the great information you compile for us.

 

[thesolarsailor]

I built a HTBH last winter and sat on the fence until packages were mostly gone. On June 2nd I retrieved a swarm from a tree at work, placed them in the hive and left them alone for a week. Checked on them and they were building nice straight comb and keeping busy bringing in nectar and pollen. I have been checking on them about once a week and they have built out 15 bars of comb about 12 of which are brood and the last 3 mostly nectar/pollen across the top 1/4. The only issue I could consider a downer is the first bar of comb is built against the wall of the hive so it is not removable for inspecting, the up side to this is good insulation value.

All in all I could not be happier for a first year beek.

 

[Arpolis]

First year beek here. I am not harvesting honey yet like some but I am happy so far. I started with a 5 frame nuk in early May. I just added my 3rd 10 frame deep yesterday. I had to lift the top which is probably 70% full of honey and OMG it is heavy. I may need to switch to 8 frame hives. My goal this year is to get near 30 frames of drawn comb and enough honey to last the winter and have a few capped frames of honey left over so I can play with splits next year. My goal is to have 3-4 hives by next year. Then after that I will be looking for honey.

 

[JakeDatc]

May 25th swarm

wish i had taken a pic of the one right next to this one that was bricked out with capped but this one is nice with different ages.

 

[bbruff22]

May 25th swarm

wish i had taken a pic of the one right next to this one that was bricked out with capped but this one is nice with different ages.

These are great pictures. Thanks for sharing these.

 

[wwfoste]

I started with one hive this year in early April. Once they got the brood box built out, I added the first super and they built out the comb in 4 days. I added a second and they were mostly done in 3 more days. Then I added a third and they were done in another 3 days. I've harvested one super and another one is mostly capped and the third is full but not capped as much. I put the harvested super back on last weekend so I'll see how they're doing next weekend. Here's a picture of one of the frames.

 

[janellesHoneyRockets]

hey everyone I haven't posted in awhile,but my girls are doing great here in Washington,I'm a newbie beek this year,i have loved every moment of it,my girls have been busy,i have two, i already have 2 mediums on one of my hives, and there building like mad,i have a little experiment going with them i have been putting mediums under instead on top, they seem to like it better than going up, down is the best way, but hard on the back,when picking up a 1/2 full super, anyhow here are a few pic's ,,,,,