Hi all,
Did my week 3 inspection and had my daughter to video tape it, can you guys and gals take a peek and let me know if I’m doing anything wrong with my inspection.
Would luv some constructed feedback please and thanks in advances.
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Zab, congrats on finding your Queen ! She’s a beauty alright. Often you will find them on new comb that has plenty of open cells or matter of fact on old frames after a big hatch.
Be careful with your smoker ! It really didn’t have much smoke … Often when you first light a smoker the puffs can be HOT n burn your bees. So use caution n make sure what is coming out the chimney is only smokey n warm not hot.
Other than that … Your inspection wasn’t too bad. How warm was it. As time goes on try to work more rapidly if cool out so you don’t chill n damage the uncapped larva cells. I was much slower at first too so I could try to see everything. Practice makes perfect n you had fun, learned some stuff n didn’t make any mistake I saw.
Enjoy n take care,
Gerald in Washington state.
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@Gerald_Nickel thank you for the boost of confidence, and yes the weather was 57 degree’s and a little windy. and about the smoker I have to get me some of them smoker pellet, it seem that the straw and pine needles doesn’t burn very well may pick up the smoke pellet today because I’m debating on getting another hive, the thing that worry me is the winterzing part of it. Since this is all new to me I wanted to see if I’m a good beek to help them survive winter, would hate to invest into another hive and lose them pretty girls. Oh well decision decision decision, Hopefully I will make a decision soon before there is no more nuc available out there and not get to much of a late start the plan is to just let them forage and feed to they increase there number to get a second brood box added. So wish me luck. 
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Dab,
Yah! I use stove pellets n white wood shavings as well as pine needles n dried grasses. Got the pellets at the Farm n Feed store (just made sure there are no added bad chemical… Most are okay . 
Wish you lived closer … Our supplier has a few extras but since I captured a swarm I’m already up to four hives again. Had 10 hives when I was a teen as an Agriculture project so just returning to beekeeping after 55 years away. Just enjoy your bees.
I noticed you probably have natural gas +90 furnace…, if n when you get a second hive put it on the far side of your first hive. Don’t want the steamy exhaust getting into your new hives n adding more moisture. I’m a furnace tech by trade so immediately noted the exhaust n air intake of your high efficiency furnace. You should be okay with the current hive I believe … Just no closer. The exhaust usually lifts away quickly…,
Good luck n enjoy the @Girls",
Gerald
I have wood shavings for the chickens I don’t know why I didn’t think about using them in the smoker. I used the rolled cardboard method on my last inspection and that worked quite well
How much do you fill the smoker for an inspection?
Ok all you beek I just order my 2nd hive and can’t wait until it arrives, I just hope I have enough time to get a 5 frame nuc in it to get it to hive strength by winter, A question for you guys, do you think if I get a 5 frame nuc now and just let it forage and get a head start until the hive come will that work?
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I don’t see why not? Especially if its only a week or two.
Providing it isn’t packed, probably yes. In your shoes, depending on finance, I would probably just buy all the parts for a traditional hive, install them in that, then transfer over when the second Flow hive arrives. Mann Lake usually deliver very fast (often same week), so they are my “go-to” supplier for emergency stuff. Of course a local supply shop is even faster, but usually costs me about 50% more.
Nice job. Remember, if you’re feeding them then that “liquid gold” you see is most likely liquid sugar syrup and you don’t want to harvest that 
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I roll cardboard as a starter and pack the whole smoker. If it isn’t done burning when I’m done inspecting, I put a cork in the top to starve it of oxygen.
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Howdy guys and gals, well I did it got another hive order and it due today also pickup a 5 framed nuc last nite, did the inspection with the beekeeper and I have to say I’m very please with this nuc, it was busting at the seam with brood, larva, lot of cap honey best far I have ever seen, beautiful queen small dark and thin.
Bad news may not get to place nuc in hive today due to rainy day and forecast for tomorrow is the same, hopefully the following days will be better will keep everyone updated on how it go. 
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Got umbrella? (and helper!) 
Great news! My new hive arrived the weather change to sunny and my nuc is all in the new hive, thanks to my Daughter for all her help to make it possible to assemble the hive and get the girls in a timely manner. 
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Oh, so that’s how an inspection is suppose to go…Looked Good To Me.
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I broke open my swarm hive today, week 3 in the box. The “ball” that the bees have been in is gone for the most part. But the little buggers have built fresh cone between the frames. It is new and white and the bees are working all around it.
Now some are working on the natural brood panel and the cone. I took all of the spacing out of the other frames and set these two apart. Hopefully they will keep working on the brood frames and I can take that cone and put it into an open frame in a couple weeks. The size of this swarm is probably about 200-300 bees…really small, but seems to be thriving quite well.
Any ideas why they would build cone in between two frames and not start with the frames already coated with wax? Should I pull that cone out or put it into an open frame next to where they are all working at?I am still not positive there is a queen, but they are not acting like getting ready to swarm.
Running on everything I can read and beeks advice, no active (or helpful ) bee keepers in my area to sponge information and bounce ideas off of…but so far so good…
Wow Bob !
That’s a mighty small cluster of bees. I use that many for a standard sugar roll mite check !
Question… Do you have a Queen with that cluster ? If not … Not sure it’s got much of a chance … If they were healthy I’d probably just combine them with a larger colony.
As for the creative comb artwork … They do get creative … That’s why I check mine weekly n provide wax or plastic foundation to guide their creativity. For such a mini colony … That’s a lot of effort.
Good luck bro,
Gerald.
@Gerald_Nickel This was a swarm cutout…it seemed bigger when I first saw them, but no worries…I will keep them as long as they will live…First [hive] …LOL
I do check each week to keep tabs on them and see whats going pn. I put out sugar syrup but they ignored it and left it alone. I now have a feeder insert and will put it in today after I move that funky comb…
I have two more jobs to gather, one is a trap out in in tree trunk and a feral hive under an abandoned trailer… This is going to be a good summer and a good beginning. 
Yah ! I baby my first swarm I got about 3 or 4 weeks ago now. It was larger. Probably like a 3 pound box. I have them in a 5 frame Nuc box n have added a single 5 frame super already.
this is my swarm hive.
Take care n happy Memorial Day !
Gerald
Nice! so far I like getting swarms or cutouts…its proving to be a little work to get them to cooperate (bees). Still looking for that book on how to wrangle and herd bees! 
always learning new things…every day…Enjoy your holiday.
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