8 Frames BIAS and...

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JohnyP

House Bee
Joined
Apr 25, 2011
Messages
171
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Location
Somerset
Hive Type
Commercial
Number of Hives
9
.... it's not even April yet. And that's in a Commercial BB. WOW is this normal? I've only been doing this 3 years and not seen the "like"....
 
Strongest hives at this time of the year than I have seen in thirty odd years! I just hope we don't get a long cold spell!
E
 
.... it's not even April yet. And that's in a Commercial BB. WOW is this normal? I've only been doing this 3 years and not seen the "like"....

This is only my 9th year and I am thinking something is happening this year in my part of the world, it may be bumper crops or lots of swarming. All but one hive 7 frames of brood min and bees over 11 frames, supers are going on and all the nationals not already double brood will be by next week. It may go cold yet and will slow them down, but it just may continue.
 
:party::party:i have seen charged Queen cells TODAY on a friends hive , so thats on course for my prediction of Swarms gallore over Easter weekend 12/13th, especially from the "dont inspect before then end of march brigade" of the Assocoation next door to ours

most of my hives are with 11 frames of bees, 7 or 8 brood, all now are supered up. on sites near OSR i have also a super above an open crown board

And the email of the weekend was one from a beginner of last years course, who said, bees doing well, 7 frames of brood (14x12), bees everywhere, but they had eaten all their fondant so i gave them another 2.5kg block.ahhhhhhhhh, it is 22c in london area (M25 outer ring with OSR in bloom (60%) blakthorn and dandelions out and they did not put a super on as they has no foundation, they are going to get it next weekend ....skep in the car time:sunning:
 
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People are going to get caught out Geoff I heard reports of a swarm last Friday the hive full of queen cells.

I feel for the people who put themselves forward to do swarm collecting as this could be a busy year.
 
People are going to get caught out Geoff I heard reports of a swarm last Friday the hive full of queen cells.

I feel for the people who put themselves forward to do swarm collecting as this could be a busy year.

yep, seen it before 1st April swarms,

I may have to turn some swarm call outs down in the net few weeks as i this weekend I have just got a Rescued six year old Labrador and she is a bit too needy to dash out and leave her alone at home at a moments notice but might go to a few as SWMBO is off over the Nursery half term
 
Yep weird year for sure, at least in my experience.

Of the hives I checked this weekend, the BIAS ranged from 3 frames to 9 frames. The average being 5-6.

Biggest surprise for me was one polyhive (National single brood) on fives frames of BIAS that had half filled the super I put on 2 weeks ago!!!!

The supers were put on hives with partial frames of honey, either crystallised or part filled from last year as extra stores in case hives ran short. Most of the hives had cleaned all the frames and in fact on some I have replaced them with more frames for them to clean as they are a bit light on stores.
 
: i have also a super above an open crown board

I have not heard of this, can you tell me what it achieves?
I have multiple supers, but only one drawn. I have this one on my hive. Do you think it would be good practice to put a super of foundation above the crown board? Would they draw it up there, or maybe take the newness off it?
 
: i have also a super above an open crown board

I have not heard of this, can you tell me what it achieves?
I have multiple supers, but only one drawn. I have this one on my hive. Do you think it would be good practice to put a super of foundation above the crown board? Would they draw it up there, or maybe take the newness off it?


It's usual for some beeks to place an empty super above an open crown board and QX to allow the bees to firstly clean up the super ready for use in the new season and secondly to provide a little more space if the colony expands and nectar does start to come in.

Call it belt and braces.
 
One crazily strong colony, overwintered on double brood and now approaching 12 frames BIAS. The rest at least 7. Almost no emerged drones though, and not really very much drone brood.
 

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