The small cluster I hived from the hedge last month has drawn comb, brought in stores and the queen is laying a nice pattern. This week I saw two frames of BIAS and the queen so as she is laying I have marked her.
I also have another swarm I hived a week later and which now has 1.5 frames of BIAS and building stores but couldn't find the queen this week. Both these hives are showing high traffic at the entrances during the days.
Hive 1 has 6 frames of BIAS and good stores plus honey in the super, but significant chalkbrood still on two of the frames. I will remove them and destroy the affected combs.
Hive 2 has five frames of BIAS good stores and honey in the top super. Room for more in the lower super.
Hive 3 shows dwindling brood and no signs of eggs although the bees are filling the inner frames with nectar. The outer frames at both ends still have room and parts are undrawn.
Couldn't see the queen. She might have gone but I will give it another week before acting. If she has gone I have the queen in hive 4 as a possible solution if I unite the two colonies.
Hive 4 is slowly expanding at last. I think it was below critical mass but has now improved. 2.5 frames of brood and the queen is quite fecund.
The daughter hive (5) from the AS split with No 2 is not yet laying but the queen cell opened ok. Another case of patience required I think.
I took 9 frames of honey off the hives about three weeks ago and extracted it. Quite a lot of OSR amongst it and the finished product is granulating in the jars. Tastes absolutely wonderful and we are experimenting with honey based cookery as well. I shall be taking lemon/honey flan and honey based chocolate brownies to the Association honey picnic tomorrow.
I also have another swarm I hived a week later and which now has 1.5 frames of BIAS and building stores but couldn't find the queen this week. Both these hives are showing high traffic at the entrances during the days.
Hive 1 has 6 frames of BIAS and good stores plus honey in the super, but significant chalkbrood still on two of the frames. I will remove them and destroy the affected combs.
Hive 2 has five frames of BIAS good stores and honey in the top super. Room for more in the lower super.
Hive 3 shows dwindling brood and no signs of eggs although the bees are filling the inner frames with nectar. The outer frames at both ends still have room and parts are undrawn.
Couldn't see the queen. She might have gone but I will give it another week before acting. If she has gone I have the queen in hive 4 as a possible solution if I unite the two colonies.
Hive 4 is slowly expanding at last. I think it was below critical mass but has now improved. 2.5 frames of brood and the queen is quite fecund.
The daughter hive (5) from the AS split with No 2 is not yet laying but the queen cell opened ok. Another case of patience required I think.
I took 9 frames of honey off the hives about three weeks ago and extracted it. Quite a lot of OSR amongst it and the finished product is granulating in the jars. Tastes absolutely wonderful and we are experimenting with honey based cookery as well. I shall be taking lemon/honey flan and honey based chocolate brownies to the Association honey picnic tomorrow.
