More hive news

My son-in-law was home today while I was inspecting the bees so he shot a picture of me in my new Golden Bee Suit. Now that I've gotten the hang of the headband, I love the suit - comfortable, easy to wear and move around in it.


I opened this hive, Persephone, last and didn't have time to look through the box before going back to work. (I smelled like a campfire but nobody at the office said anything). This hive will move into a medium nuc box this Saturday.


My strongest hive is also my oldest hive. The bees below are from Bermuda - my four year old hive. Bermuda lost her queen over her third winter and requeened herself. This queen is doing well. If you look closely at the photo below (click on it to enlarge it), you'll see brood in all stages, pollen stored, uncapped honey and capped brood.

On Saturday I think I'm going to use frames from this hive and from Aristaeous2 to make a split. I've never done that and want the experience. It is the right time to do it. I'll in Bermuda combine making a split and opening up the brood nest as a way to manage the possibility that this hive will want to swarm this year.



BTW, the top box in Bermuda was heavy, heavy with stored honey.



Just to show what experience does for you, for the first time in three years of beekeeping, my smoker remained lit throughout my inspection today!!!!

My Golden Bee Suit ARRIVED!

I am so thrilled! My Golden Bee suit that was my birthday present arrived today. What a fabulous suit!

It is made for my height and is just perfect. Even in the winter in Atlanta, I can tell that it will be so comfortable to wear. The ventilation is amazing. The hood, although it zips off, is easy to manage and see through. In the pictures below I didn't draw up the strings around my ankle but it is set to keep the bees out of my pants as well.



My new dog Hannah likes the suit too. She thinks she likes the beehives but she is new and hasn't been stung yet although she sniffs around all the hives. Just wait until summer comes! Hannah will learn to respect the bees, I imagine.


This is the best thing that has happened in my beekeeping life in a while. What a great birthday present!



The pockets are oriented so that I can actually put my hands in them (unlike my other suit). Hooray!

If any of you want one, you have to special order it from The Golden Bee Company in Metairie, Louisiana. Their phone number is 504-456-8805. Sue, the daughter of the creators of the suit, is the person to whom you speak. I ordered mine the week before Thanksgiving and expected to wait a long, long time to get it but it came today, less than a month from my order placement.