# 30 hrs after package install.



## cnt (Jun 8, 2013)

ok, so I know the rule is don't bother them for 3 days but I just couldn't contain my self. I have a full length window in my TBH so I just had to take a quick peek. Boy was it worth it!! The photo is unfortunately glary but in person it was the coolest thing I've ever seen! 

I cut some medium frames down for them to get started, it's frame-frame-topbar-frame-topbar-frame then all bars and they're hanging from first to last cut frame all the way down to the queen cage at the bottom. I presume that this means they haven't chewed the mashmallow away and released the queen yet(?)










Just thought I'd share


----------



## msscha (Jan 4, 2014)

Cool, isn't it? My first package is doing the same thing. I'm having problems with carpenter ants (just started today) and am concerned about that, but they are eating the 1:1 syrup like crazy. When I removed the queen cage, she was out and there was at least one comb about 3" across and 4" deep. I'm hoping the ants don't drive them off. 
The picture is through the window -- have to figure out a way to get around the glare.


----------



## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

The glare is always hard to deal with. You can try turning off the flash, but you then sometimes it is too dark. I actually found that taking them at night worked ok sometimes.


----------



## cnt (Jun 8, 2013)

They sell anti-reflective coatings online but they all seem stupid expensive.  

If anyone knows of a good source of AR film let me know.


----------



## onesojourner (Jan 9, 2014)

Turn the flash off and use a flash light off to the side. That will give you perfect results. A bright cloudy day would also work well with no flash.


----------



## J-Rat (Dec 10, 2013)

I installed my bees on 04/08/14. this morning I saw ants on the hive. So I wrapped the hive legs with 3" of blue masking tape and then coated the tape with tanglefoot. seems to have done the trick. It might be worth a try.


----------



## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

I've heard the ants in Florida are pretty bad. I doubt Cinnamon would help much, but it may be worth a try.


----------



## BeeGora (Oct 22, 2013)

I've been trying for two years to get some decent pictures through the glass and haven't been successful yet. If it's sunny glare is a problem. If it's cloudy the flash messes it up. The best picture I've gotten so far was when the sun was going down and shining from behind me into the window, the light wasn't bright enough to glare. Another thing that I did was to paint the back side of the window cover. Mine is on hinges and just flips down and it tended to reflect the sunlight back up onto the glass. If your cover comes completely off you won't have that problem. The great thing about digital pictures is that you can take hundreds of them and discard them, which I've done.


----------



## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

New package is looking good. Glad to see you put a window in your hive. You won't regret it. I open mine at least twice a day, morning and night. And then a lot more on the weekends when I am gardening. Helps me stay out of the hive itself. I was in there way too much last year, but boy did I learn a lot.

As far as the glare from the camera, try getting the lens directly up against the glass. My best photos thru the glass have come from a fixed lens camera and not my expensive SLR digital Rebel camera (that one gets the close ups of the bees when I do an inspection).


----------



## msscha (Jan 4, 2014)

I've been obsessing over the ants, which given its the end of the semester, is not something I have a lot of time to do. Still, I appreciate the responses, and I'll be adding some kind of ant-deterrent (grease, petroleum jelly) on the legs this afternoon, as well as planting mint at the base of the legs which I read on a blog post (unfortunately bookmarked on a different computer). I'll also try the flashlight for getting better pictures. 

Thank you for the replies!


----------



## fruitveggirl (Mar 8, 2013)

msscha said:


> I've been obsessing over the ants, which given its the end of the semester, is not something I have a lot of time to do. Still, I appreciate the responses, and I'll be adding some kind of ant-deterrent (grease, petroleum jelly) on the legs this afternoon, as well as planting mint at the base of the legs which I read on a blog post (unfortunately bookmarked on a different computer). I'll also try the flashlight for getting better pictures.
> 
> Thank you for the replies!


I've tried planting mint and tansy by the hives. I haven't found that it deters ants. I know lots of people swear by putting their hives on a stand that has legs, and putting the leg stands in dishes or cans of oil. Water would work, too, but oil doesn't evaporate as quickly, and it provides a barrier the ants can't cross.


----------



## T0ADMAN (Aug 5, 2011)

Looking good. 

I'm jealous of your window. I built my hives in a hurry, so didn't have time for a window. Maybe I can build a new hive with the same dimensions over the year and have a window for a split next year.


----------



## cnt (Jun 8, 2013)

It's only day two but I decided to take a look and they wern't hanging down all the way to the queen cage anymore. took a look and the cage was full of workers but no queen. bees seem happy so I assume she made it out all right. Got a better picture today too with my back covering the sun.


----------



## msscha (Jan 4, 2014)

Cnt, your window is nicer than mine! When I checked the queen cage on day three, I had the same experience--no queen but workers still inside. Maybe b/c it still smells like her? I read not to queen cages in a jacket pocket for the same reason. Anyway, I shook them out a bit then set the cage on the ground. They all left quickly. Do you find that the bees cluster around the window when it's open? I couldn't get pictures today b/c everyone came over to investigate the sudden brightness!


----------



## msscha (Jan 4, 2014)

I'm feeling lucky that today the ants seemed to have left. Could have been the baking soda, coffee, cinnamon mix, but I'm guessing it was the Amdro. Still, I planted some mint and tucked some boric acid tablets in empty toilet paper tubes at the base of the planting mound. I needed a break today: someone stole my purse and it will take all day tomorrow to deal with it. Wish I could sic a guard bee on him/her!


----------



## cnt (Jun 8, 2013)

msscha said:


> Cnt, your window is nicer than mine! When I checked the queen cage on day three, I had the same experience--no queen but workers still inside. Maybe b/c it still smells like her? I read not to queen cages in a jacket pocket for the same reason. Anyway, I shook them out a bit then set the cage on the ground. They all left quickly. Do you find that the bees cluster around the window when it's open? I couldn't get pictures today b/c everyone came over to investigate the sudden brightness!


Thanks! it's an 8"x47" piece of tempered glass from ikea. It was supposed to be a shelf but I carefully ground the aluminum bracket off to get the glass.

I ended up pulling the screen off the cage and shaking them out just in case she was still in there (i'm paranoid.)

I did notice that they started flying at the window after about 30 seconds of peeking. I took that as a sign they wanted me to close it up, so I complied since they're probably trying to settle in still  I did notice a bit of fresh comb just peaking of of the crazy cluster of bees, which is pretty cool to see spring up so fast!


----------



## msscha (Jan 4, 2014)

I looked at glass shelving, too, but ended up having Lowe's custom cut a piece. It wasn't expensive, which I appreciated.

We had rain today (and cooler weather tonight), and I was surprised by how big a difference it made in the sound of the hive. They were very quiet...in fact, I thought that they'd absconded. I went back to the house to get a good flashlight, and found that the bees were very much there, and have constructed what looks like a piece or two of honeycomb that almost reach to the bottom of the hive! Tomorrow is one week, and this weekend I will do my first real inspection. I'll try to get pictures, and I'm really hoping that there is no cross-combing. 

Just out of curiosity, have you been able to smell the hive yet? The last two days, I would swear I can smell the hive -- like warm, sweet beeswax -- when I am still a good 15 ft away. I've read that you can smell the hive, and even tell the condition sometimes this way, but I didn't think it would start so soon!


----------



## fruitveggirl (Mar 8, 2013)

msscha said:


> Just out of curiosity, have you been able to smell the hive yet? The last two days, I would swear I can smell the hive -- like warm, sweet beeswax -- when I am still a good 15 ft away. I've read that you can smell the hive, and even tell the condition sometimes this way, but I didn't think it would start so soon!


I have a very sensitive nose also, and the hives definitely have a smell. Just wait until the fall, and they start bringing goldenrod nectar in! In the fall, I can smell my hive from over 100' away. In fact, the odor has taught me to locate areas where wild bees live because I can smell their hives now, too! At least, I know what I'm smelling now.


----------



## camero7 (Sep 21, 2009)

some ideas on ants:

http://douglasfarm.webs.com/apps/blog/entries/show/1126862-10-ways-to-fight-ants-without-chemicals


----------



## tycobb48 (Jan 10, 2008)

msscha said:


> I've been obsessing over the ants, which given its the end of the semester, is not something I have a lot of time to do. Still, I appreciate the responses, and I'll be adding some kind of ant-deterrent (grease, petroleum jelly) on the legs this afternoon, as well as planting mint at the base of the legs which I read on a blog post (unfortunately bookmarked on a different computer). I'll also try the flashlight for getting better pictures.
> 
> Thank you for the replies!


I don't know if you are resting the hive on blocks, or legs. If on legs I reccomend putting the 'feet' into cans or old margerine tubs with an inch or two of oil in them. I've had luck with that in the past and it is quick.


----------



## cnt (Jun 8, 2013)

I started them with a few cut down frames of comb so I could smell it from day one, but yeah fruitveggirl said they have a smell for sure.


----------



## msscha (Jan 4, 2014)

tycobb48 said:


> I don't know if you are resting the hive on blocks, or legs. If on legs I reccomend putting the 'feet' into cans or old margerine tubs with an inch or two of oil in them. I've had luck with that in the past and it is quick.


They are on legs, and I may try the oil idea -- right now, my initial treatment with some Amdro tossed into the woods and boric acid tablets placed in toilet paper tubes (and partly buried in a mound of mint I planted -- both ideas from the douglasfarms link -- thanks camero7!) seemed to have worked. Haven't seen any carpenter ants, though the smaller brown ants are still about. Thank you!


----------



## LAndrus (Dec 29, 2013)

Try planting Marigolds around your hives.....marigolds are natural ant deterants


fruitveggirl said:


> I've tried planting mint and tansy by the hives. I haven't found that it deters ants. I know lots of people swear by putting their hives on a stand that has legs, and putting the leg stands in dishes or cans of oil. Water would work, too, but oil doesn't evaporate as quickly, and it provides a barrier the ants can't cross.


----------



## msscha (Jan 4, 2014)

I'll try that, too. I like marigolds.


----------



## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

Catnip. It is good forage too.


----------



## Striider (Apr 21, 2014)

Great looking hive! I am hoping my bees coming on Saturday will be happy like yours.


----------



## T0ADMAN (Aug 5, 2011)

shannonswyatt said:


> Catnip. It is good forage too.


Be careful, though. It is quite invasive


----------



## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

Good think dandelions aren't, or my whole yard would be full of them. Oh wait...


----------



## mdax (Apr 29, 2013)

My TBH's are looking good on the 3 day check


----------



## cnt (Jun 8, 2013)

mdax said:


> My TBH's are looking good on the 3 day check
> View attachment 10209


HOLY COW thats a lot of comb for 3 days! In addition to the comb i gave them they've made about 2 more bars worth. I think most of it was drawn in the first few days but I haven't seen much more yet. It's been rainy and they haven't really been interested in the feeder i gave them.


----------



## tycobb48 (Jan 10, 2008)

cnt said:


> HOLY COW thats a lot of comb for 3 days! In addition to the comb i gave them they've made about 2 more bars worth. I think most of it was drawn in the first few days but I haven't seen much more yet. It's been rainy and they haven't really been interested in the feeder i gave them.


They are looking great. Still waiting on my package for my tbh


----------

