My year with apologies...

[Queens59]

First off - my sincere apologies for disappearing for almost a full bee-keeping year! This year has been extremely tough both personally and health wise, and I am just finding space to breathe...

When I was last on (I can't quite remember what I had...) so an update...

I had 1 hive on May bank holiday...and then 3 two days later - one swarm caught locally and 1 colony as a gift from Richard Ball. I then split my original colony into 2 - so had a total of three. I then caught 2 more swarms in varying places so had 5. WOW - a bit of a steep learning curve that was!

One swarm (despite being low on varroa and seemingly healthy) didn't thrive, and just about clung on - so was united with another swarm and has gallopped on ever since, leaving me with 4 hives.

NOW AN ADMISSION - I hated the thought of pouring acid on my girls...a newbee thing I guess...so I didn't, but retreated for varroa in spring by conventional methods...and they seemed fine. BUT, I then noticed that my Queens were...noticeable by their absence. Of my 4 hives I had one Queen - argghh.

I tried test frames...1 succedded so I now had 2 Q+ and 2 Q-...but then the 'success' killed off her maj...so back to 3 Q- and 1 Q+. Bearing in mind this took most of the summer...I then collected another swarm...but it never appeared to have a Queen...Getting the picture??

Eventually I bought 4 Queens from Glynn Davis in Ashburton...did the cage inroduction and hoped...2 took immediately and were laying withn days ...hurrah..1 dissappeared totally (we thought, more later) and one was there, but refusing to do aything. I truly thought we were in for a rough winter. Then the slow one decided she knew what to do after all, and started to fill every single gap with eggs...as did the others...so very late in the season I placed supers and prayed...hard.

FINALLY the one with no obvious Queen got so nasty and aggresive that we thought petrol might be necessary...or we had laying workers...as there were constant tiny patches of drone...They chased us round the garden - stung us anytime anywhere...horrid. As a last resort my daughter asked Richard B. to visit - and as he wanted pictures of laying workers he agreed...EVER FEEL AN *****??

We had moved the hive to an out of the way corner to die out (no excuses - they were just vile)...he dressed sealing every possible attack point having heard how they were...and they were perfect...worker brood,egg, larvae and sealed...drone brood ditto...and a lovely fat delicious Queen proudly showing off mid frame...arrgghh!

SO we now have 4 hives all with great active heavy laying Queens...all have filled a BB & super since the end of varroa treatment in August...and are just lovely - what a year...and yes, I will be treating them properly this winter...Promise

 

[Heather]

Lovely to hear from you again.
We have all had such hives- it is called experience. Absolute pigs then when inspected by another- little charmers.

I had the opposite this year- doing my Basic- opened my 'reliable' colony - Aaahhh! bees from hell - quickly closed and used another.. All part of life's rich pattern.

Just be sure they have enough food this winter. I keep banging on about it- but they are using stores early, hate you to lose those precious colonies with starvation.

 

[susbees]

Lovely to hear from you again.
We have all had such hives- it is called experience. Absolute pigs then when inspected by another- little charmers.

I had the opposite this year- doing my Basic- opened my 'reliable' colony - Aaahhh! bees from hell - quickly closed and used another.. All part of life's rich pattern.

Just be sure they have enough food this winter. I keep banging on about it- but they are using stores early, hate you to lose those precious colonies with starvation.

Yes, good to see you back. And your bees sorted! Been a terrible year for getting VQs mated and laying proper brood. And with them flapping about into November....who knows....

....as for Basic which we did elsewhere, I ignored the commercial with three supers chosen by our burly examiner and pleaded injury (true as it happens) and got stung several times on the wrist as we walked away by "oh didn't I warn you about hive 14" bees. The only stings I've reacted to since about May. Urrghhh.

As you say Q it's finding the time to draw breath. Had a critical illness myself end of last/first half of this. Doesn't half take control. All the best and hope you're doing better now.

 

[Skyhook]

I'm pleased to say I haven't had health or other issues- but the bee bits sound eerily familiar. As susbees says, been a heck of a year for queen mating- I wonder if some years, people lose swarms or have supercedures and don't even know about it?

Anyway, welcome back.

 

[MuswellMetro]

welcome back

 

[mignon]

Hey Q59
Good to see you back on the forum, you were missed. As far as your bee trials and tribulations, you can see with regard to your bees you are in good company, many of us have had Q issues. It's part of the charms of beekeeping - I think
Take care

Sarah

 

[Black Comb]

Pleased to see you back. Wondered where you had got too.
Next year will be better.