I was asked last summer by a friend who had previously had bees but had been left beeless since the previous winter if I could supply her with a colony on national frames. Accordingly I set up a split and took it through the winter for her.
At the weekend she telephoned to ask if she and her husband could pick it up. We agreed a pick up time for the evening when the colony had finished flying for the day.
As the day was warm and sunny I performed an inspection and marked the queen who was obligingly in the centre of the second frame of brood. A big fat lass indeed.
All the capped brood was healthy, nectar and pollen being brought and the bees calm so I closed up content it would be a good colony.
They duly arrived carrying a travel screen, fitted it, waited for the escapees to go back in, sealed the entrance, strapped the hive together then loaded it into the car and departed.
Hope they enjoy their new bees.
At the weekend she telephoned to ask if she and her husband could pick it up. We agreed a pick up time for the evening when the colony had finished flying for the day.
As the day was warm and sunny I performed an inspection and marked the queen who was obligingly in the centre of the second frame of brood. A big fat lass indeed.
All the capped brood was healthy, nectar and pollen being brought and the bees calm so I closed up content it would be a good colony.
They duly arrived carrying a travel screen, fitted it, waited for the escapees to go back in, sealed the entrance, strapped the hive together then loaded it into the car and departed.
Hope they enjoy their new bees.