I prepared the second box for our beehive on Monday,
loaded it and my beehive tools into the little wagon behind
the lawn tractor and tootled up to the top of our property.
I took my Rebel with me too, but it wasn't cooperating
for some reason and it's really hard to make adjustments
with gloves and a beekeeper's veil on.
I inspected the trays and was a bit disappointed
to find two of them virtually untouched.
I can see that our queen is thriving, tough, and I'm thinking
that the cold, wet weather we had in the weeks before last
probably has something to do with production.
Or...
perhaps I'm just impatient?
I set the second box in place.
Next comes the top feeder, but it wouldn't sit balanced on the new box.
I lifted the feeder to take a look at its underside.
Ah ha!
There was a bit of honeycomb formed there that prevented a proper seal.
I scraped the comb off, set it aside on a big rock near the hive
and finished getting everything settled.
My work gloves were covered and dripping with honey by the time
I got back down the hill from the hive.
It is thrilling, to say the least, to see and sample
what our busy little bees have been up to.
Our best critic gave it two sticky thumbs up.
IT'S FINGER-LICKIN' BEELICIOUS!