Welcome Apis. Sorry to be off opic here, but I seen your pictures and thought toapis mellifera wrote:Yes it is and yes I do!
There are a few pictures at the link below, under "bees". I designed and conducted a research project using Honeybees. Strangely enough, I've lost the taste for honey. There are also a few pictures of my other interests, namely old cars and motorcycles, furniture building, old clocks... Too many irons in the fire!
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v307/dandomatic2/
say your not alone here with beekeeping. Most of the bees here in Va. forage tulip poplar, and
it's bitter on the throat.
My inlaws actually talked me into having a few hives.
I was able to keep them alive for 4 whole years without losing a queen (painted/numbered)
I see you have the stackable supers. My wife and her family are Russian, and they use the
horizontal type....which I had. You don't have to upset 15 Lbs of bees with this type since
you flip open slats that expose just a few frames at a time. The only thing I found bad about it was
they could not flush the heat when the dead of summer came, and they would all camp on the front
of the box to fan. It certainly is an excellent box for the likes of russia, and places with extreme cold
climates.
Anyways,..... Welcome !!