Monday, May 9^th

Today we introduced the bees to the hive!  I purchased 3-3 lb. packages of Italian bees with Carniolan queens.  As the queen lays eggs, her offspring will gradually replace the Italian bees.  Three or four weeks from now, the entire hive should consist of offspring of the Carniolan queens.  I also put a feeder on each hive with a 50/50 mix of sugar water, 3 tsp. of fumidil and some “Honey Bee Healthy”.  (Essential oils with trace vitamins for improved bee health) 

Thursday, May 12^th

I removed the feeders from the hives today in preparation for installing the honey supers.  I didn’t want any fumidil or any “Honey Bee Healthy” collected by the bees to be in the honey supers. 

Friday, May 13^th

Today is commencement at the college and I squeezed in a quick bee hive visit before the evening ceremony.  I installed empty honey supers on each hive.  Each super had nine frames and had been used previously, so the foundation was completely covered with drawn comb. (Complete wax cells are formed so the bees can just fill them with honey without having to make as much wax)  Hive #3 (on the scale) complete with empty honey supers weighed in at 121 lbs.