Florence and Mark Cooper wrote about a new hive:
 
>How soon should I check?  I don't want to upset the bees.  However, Mark is
REALLY interested in checking out the bees.
 
All beekeepers love to look inside hives.  There is no strict timetable for
when you must do this - if the bees are active they will not be disturbed.
I have read that a hive takes 3 or 4 days to settle down after smoking so I
think unless you are using minimal smoke it would be overdoing it to open it
more than every 7 days.  The more you handle the hive the more you will
learn - even if you do lose some production.
>
>We also need the name of a good beekeeping book for beginning beekeepers.
>Suggestions are eagerly awaited!!
 
The ABC and XYZ of Beekeeping contains everything you are ever likely to
need to know but when I started I found books on beginning beekeeping more
useful because there was not so much to cram in at once and they provided a
simplified schedule for the year.  After a couple of years I found I could
follow the ABC and XYZ more easily because I had enough experience to
understand it.
 
>I would also like suggestions for good "bee" plants for my garden.  I am an
>avid gardener, who became a beekeeper by default (but I am really loving it--I
>sort of feel like a farmer!)
 
An overgrown herb plot is really favoured by bees - Borage is known as "bee
bread" because of the high quality pollen and nectar and will self seed
readily.  Bergamot, Sage, Catnip, Thyme and Parsley are all bee favourites
and Rosemary flowers in winter when there are few other nectar sources.
Your local plant nursery can advise on nectar producing flowers for your
area - anything that attracts nectar eating birds is bound to be attractive
to bees.
HOG BAY APIARY
Penneshaw, Kangaroo Island
j.h. & e. mcadam<[log in to unmask]
http://kigateway.eastend.com.au/hogbay/hogbay1.htm