I did it by myself!

We added the second box

It is hard to see, but the queen has the green dot on her.

I didn't know I had all those bees on me!
Smoking
Today I opened the hive all by myself! Also, I never got stung. The queen has been laying eggs, and almost all of the first box has been covered. So, I added a second box. The bees gulped down all of the sugar water, so there wasn't even a drop left. For the next two weeks I will be checking the hive by myself, but on the third week Corky will return just to make sure everything is going smoothly. Well, the hive is thriving, and I should get honey by June/July.

-Audrey

Sting

Alas, the time has come. I have been stung! I was sitting by the hive when a bee came over to investigate my face. Stupidly, when it landed on my eye I flicked it away. But, it still had time to graze my eyebrow with its stinger. I forgive it. On a more positive note, I opened the hive today! All was well. Queen Titania had been released and started laying eggs already. With help from Corky I captured the queen and put a green dot on her head to mark her. The bees had also made honey comb. While watching the bees daily I can see that the bees are bring back lots of pollen. I wonder where they get it? My neighbor, Sam, told me he has seen many bees in his yard lately after years with no bees. I think they are doing their job. Well, all is good in the hive. Hope it stays that way.

-Audrey

The First Few Days

For the past two days the bees have been extremely quiet in the morning. I think it is because of our cool and damp Seattle weather. Also, the clouds have been covering the sun, so they don't get as good of start in the morning. But, by 11-12:00 the bees start to move. In the afternoon there were about one-hundred bees outside. It was crazy! This night I changed their sugar water that I use to feed the bees. They had nearly finished all three bottles! The bees sure love sugar. Hope all is well in the hive.

-Audrey

THE BEES HAVE ARRIVED

I am standing with the hive

Bee butt

A few of the inmates
THE BEES ARE FALLING

The little box is where the queen is. A marshmallow is at the entrance of the little box to keep her in. The workers will chew through it to let her free.

My bee explainer and helper, Corky, shows how to transfer bees into the hive.
Mom and me. The workers.

A birdbath the bees can drink from
The hive!!!
My helper, Teddy. He stole mom's garden glove.
All seven boxes

Painting

Me painting the boxes blue
Grandpa and me

Grandpa building the beehive

Hello. I am Audrey, a 13 year old girl from Seattle. I have always loved bees, so after going to meetings at the Puget Sound Beekeepers Association I ordered bees from California. The Queen is Italian, so supposedly she is calmer. Today, was the greatest day, for she arrived. Her name is Queen Tatania after the fairy queen in A Mid Summer's Night Dream. For the following year I will be documenting my attempt at beekeeping, showing what it is like being a first time beekeeper, hopefully making honey and selling it, and surviving the winter. Hope you enjoy!

-Audrey