So... after we confirmed the presence of queen cells in our hive, we popped the top on Bob's hive and got a peek at one that was more established. His frames were really full and covered with bees! That many bees can weigh a lot!
Bob wanted us to become familiar with handling and inspecting the frames, so in addition to watching the activity, we were also were looking for the queen! LeeAnn lifted out each frame... and then Bob spotted her. Slightly larger with different coloring, we watched her as she worked her way from cell to cell, depositing eggs along the way.
With our "tour" concluded, LeeAnn replaced the frames in the box and reset the lid. All bees present and accounted for!
And here's the pay off: our fruit trees are getting more attention than they ever got before. Our girls arrived just in time for the blossoming of our fruit trees. We're looking forward to a great harvest this year!
- Gary
