Buying and building

A while since I posted....I am biding my time till my next inspection since the bees don't actually like me cracking open their home and giving them a little prod, so I think. Fair enough.

I've been buying and building, though. My new hive which I bought on eBay arrived. Pre-made and beautiful, though with only brood box, one super, floor, crown board and roof (no frames) I do wonder about the value. I also bought a set of super frames (unmade) and I've knocked those together as well as the 2 extra sets of super frames I had......lot more nails and my arm is sore again (combo of this and too much tennis has done for me, I'm afraid). I also received through the post my queen marking pen (green for '09) and my queen marking cage (sort of circular thing with a jabby underside and mesh top so I can catch her on the comb and mark her through the mesh). I'm now suffering from a bit of a kit management issue (!! how? I've only just started!?) since the eBay bought super has sliding runners rather than castellated ones...this is way too detailed for this blog - suffice to say that it's a little involved and I may well order some new runners and subbing them in on my new super box.....who would have thought it was all this complicated, eh? Anyhow - easy enough I suppose.

So, I'm looking forward to the next inspection greatly - it's been a while. Will I see the queen? Will they have filled both supers I put on? Will they be happily stocking up the nectar and pollen and stuffing that comb with larvae? Fingers crossed.....