Jarred some of the honey I extracted. Ordered some personalised labels from Thornes.
Inspected all colonies and found laying queens in both AS hives plus no 7 is stronger. Foraging has slowed with the downturn in the weather conditions so put 1:1 feed onto the new colonies and those others which were low on stores.
Spent an hour at the association apiary Saturday and oversaw this years beginners inspecting their hives. Pleased to see the colony I sold to one as a nuc is looking healthy and settling into a national brood box with bias in a good pattern. The other beginners colonies are not so encouraging, one is slow to expand and another has a high proportion of drone comb. I'm concerned that one needs action and will return next week to assess and if unsatisfactory squish the defective queen and either donate a frame of eggs and small larvae or replace with a mated Queen.
Inspected all colonies and found laying queens in both AS hives plus no 7 is stronger. Foraging has slowed with the downturn in the weather conditions so put 1:1 feed onto the new colonies and those others which were low on stores.
Spent an hour at the association apiary Saturday and oversaw this years beginners inspecting their hives. Pleased to see the colony I sold to one as a nuc is looking healthy and settling into a national brood box with bias in a good pattern. The other beginners colonies are not so encouraging, one is slow to expand and another has a high proportion of drone comb. I'm concerned that one needs action and will return next week to assess and if unsatisfactory squish the defective queen and either donate a frame of eggs and small larvae or replace with a mated Queen.
