12th June

The bees have been in and out of the nuc all day and many coming in laden with yellow pollen so their explorations have obviously borne fruit.
I have the new frames and foundations installed in the empty hive brood box with a gap for the frames from the nuc to go into. I am pondering whether to swap the colony over tonight or wait a bit longer.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Spoke to an experienced beek from the association who advised me to swap but only add two frames of foundation to the brood box and dummy off the residual space. Did the deed around 6.30 pm with no difficulties. The bees were much calmer this evening than they had been on Monday and Tiger Lily was roaming regally across the brood. They are now in their permanent home which is about two feet sideways from where the nuc was.
No queen cells to be seen and bias with a lot of cells with nectar plus some amber coloured pollen. I will leave them alone in peace for a few days now.