Bazillions of beeeeesss!

[poka-bee]

Checked the hives the other day & they are going gangbusters. Tons of larva & capped brood, not any capped honey but  pollen & cells filled w/liquid.  They are probably using as fast as they bring it in??  In the blue I saw drones for the 1st time.  Of course I had to catch it to show my stepdaughter & husband...they weren't as excited as I.   Then in the green hive I saw the queen!!!!  She looks much bigger than when in that little cage! They were pretty grumpy & I had to  go put on my full jacket Remembering the post on can they sting through nitrate or neo gloves, why yes they can!  Do bees get darker as they age?  The new bees are a very light golden color, & the stripes are not dark.  Their eyes are smaller too (at least it looks that way..) My wax is all a bright yellow, not the white that I see in pictures, well a little is white but mostly yellow.  Does it fade in time?  Will it change colors as the seasons?  They are bringing in a bright fluorescent orange pollen, the new ones with fuzz are completely covered so are all orange.  It looks so cool, almost glow in the dark! My favorite time of day is in the afternoon when they do orientation flights, it's amazing to see them milling about.  Green always goes 1st, then when they are winding down Blue.  Off to bother something!  Jody

[Keith13]

its exciting isn't it

[BeeHopper]

Checked the hives the other day & they are going gangbusters. Tons of larva & capped brood, not any capped honey but  pollen & cells filled w/liquid.  They are probably using as fast as they bring it in??  In the blue I saw drones for the 1st time.  Of course I had to catch it to show my stepdaughter & husband...they weren't as excited as I.   Then in the green hive I saw the queen!!!!  She looks much bigger than when in that little cage! They were pretty grumpy & I had to  go put on my full jacket Remembering the post on can they sting through nitrate or neo gloves, why yes they can!  Do bees get darker as they age?  The new bees are a very light golden color, & the stripes are not dark.  Their eyes are smaller too (at least it looks that way..) My wax is all a bright yellow, not the white that I see in pictures, well a little is white but mostly yellow.  Does it fade in time?  Will it change colors as the seasons?  They are bringing in a bright fluorescent orange pollen, the new ones with fuzz are completely covered so are all orange.  It looks so cool, almost glow in the dark! My favorite time of day is in the afternoon when they do orientation flights, it's amazing to see them milling about.  Green always goes 1st, then when they are winding down Blue.  Off to bother something!  Jody

Sounds like your girls are doing well. 

[Scadsobees]

Aside from being some genetic color differences that can occasionally show up, the younger bees are lighter colored in general.  They come out of the cell being all covered with light fuzz, and their skin seems to be lighter too.  As they get older and their shell hardens and the fuzz wears off they do darken quite a bit.

Wax starts out mostly white, but if they are hauling pollen it it will get stained the color of the pollen (usually yellow). This will eventually fade to brown and black.

Drones are a good sign, they won't raise these until they are getting stronger.

Sure is fun to see all the different things going on, stings excepted!!  Orientation flights are fun to watch, I like just standing in front of the hive listening to the hum of the bees and watching the honeybee tornado.  And if the drones are coming and going it is even louder.

-r