# 3 Months into Beekeeping



## Vcela Obecna (Aug 4, 2009)

Just wanted to say "Hello" to everyone. I have one hive that I started from packaged bee from Georgia. They are progressing well, dispite all the rain we have been having in the Chicagoland area. I look forward to the challenges of
making sure they make it through the winter.Glad to have found you Guys..:thumbsup: Ray


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## c10250 (Feb 3, 2009)

Hi Ray.

This is my first year as well. I'm out by Elgin. It's nice to have some nearby beeks to compare with.

Strange weather in Chicago this year, huh? How's the hive doing?

Ken


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## Vcela Obecna (Aug 4, 2009)

Hi Ken,

Well the bees were very active today. I just added a medium super
2 weeks ago. I inspected the hive this morning. The colony has sealed up the 
innner cover with propolis. I separated the cover and each frame looks like 
some workers are surveying where to begin. I hope that this section will be ready for me to harvest by late Sept. Some experienced beekeepers I've spoken to said nectar flow could happen even up to Oct. 
This past Sunday I visited a honey co-operative on the westside of Chicago that had 70+ hives. I also was fortunate enough to observe a beekeeper inspect the hives on top of the Cultural Center in downtown Chicago. Really Neat stuff. Hows you hive doing in Elgin?

Ray


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## c10250 (Feb 3, 2009)

I purchased a deep full of bees/brood/honey with a new queen from Sherri (Moderator) in Wisconsin. That was in April. I immediately put another deep on it with drawn comb.

They started filling it with brood and honey, and in May I added a third deep for me (above an upper entrance). This time all the added frames were undrawn plastic. They slowly started to build that out, and during an inspection in June I noticed brood in the third deep. Ugh!

So here's what I did, I added a fourth deep (for me) moving some of the brood up to the fourth deep to draw the bees up. Since I wasn't planning on harvesting until fall, I figured they would be done with the brood by fall. 

It seemed to work, my last inspection two weeks ago (only of the upper, fourth deep) showed they were beginning to draw it out nice. Only a little honey. I'll peek in there around mid August to see how things are going. Hopefully my third deep is full!!! Probably not.

If bees coming and going are any indication, there is definitely something blooming right now. I EASILY have 300 bees per minute coming and going. Here are some videos of my hive from May through July. You can really see the hive progress.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifq6g5wCa1k


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkarzgjfwC8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmL2zRYIQrs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ2OOMGV1vQ


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## Vcela Obecna (Aug 4, 2009)

Ken,

What a great video. I was thinking about doing some video,maybe trying
to film inside the hive with something I saw on ebay.
I hope that the bees got the suggestion and are leaving the brood to the 
bottom deep.I guess you could always put in a queen excluder. I was going to
but didn't want to chance any bees getting stuck in it. 
Definately its bloom time up your way. I'm starting to feel a bit jealious 
of you location for the hive. I have mine located in my back yard, in a urban
setting. There are many trees and flowers in the area. A large park around 
a half mile away too.The bees are working from sunrise to sunset. 
I installed my hive on June 6th,late. I am using wax foundations 1 deep for brood,another deep and adding mediums. 
A friend of mine has a hive on his roof a mile from me. In May we set up 
2 hives with some friends near Elmhurst. Those 2 already generated 2 full boxes of honey. 
ray


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