Thankfully a warm and sunny day. I checked my baited hive again but still no sign of any bees. Not even any bees to be seen on the apple blossom or other flowers around the farm.
I drove over to the Apiary for todays session where we inspected 3 hives and found them to be busy with stores building up. One or two practiced marking drones to get a feel for handling bees. I found eggs, larvae, capped cells and adult bees plus I found the marked queen.
There was good build up of stores and an extra super added to the hive with most. The empty, new foundation super was fitted between the brood and the super in use
One hive had an excess of drone comb hanging so that was removed, the larvae being promised to the hive owners chickens.
On ending the session I called in at Yorkshire Beehives on the way home and picked up some brood frames and foundation in case the brief burst of good weather causes my search for a swarm to bear fruit and I suddenly need to house some bees. (fingers crossed).
I have an advert in our post office offering swarm collection. I specify honey bees only but we'll see what if anything happens.
I drove over to the Apiary for todays session where we inspected 3 hives and found them to be busy with stores building up. One or two practiced marking drones to get a feel for handling bees. I found eggs, larvae, capped cells and adult bees plus I found the marked queen.
There was good build up of stores and an extra super added to the hive with most. The empty, new foundation super was fitted between the brood and the super in use
One hive had an excess of drone comb hanging so that was removed, the larvae being promised to the hive owners chickens.
On ending the session I called in at Yorkshire Beehives on the way home and picked up some brood frames and foundation in case the brief burst of good weather causes my search for a swarm to bear fruit and I suddenly need to house some bees. (fingers crossed).
I have an advert in our post office offering swarm collection. I specify honey bees only but we'll see what if anything happens.
