And so it begins

[pnkemp]

So my nuc bait hive caught a small swarm two weeks ago. After 3 days I closed it up at night and moved it to it's permanent location (more than tree miles away), and opened it up in the morning. All good

Four days later I took a peek and they were drawing some beautiful combs on the starter strips/bamboo skewers, though I had to remove some tat were being drawn wonky. Didn't see any eggs but they were bringing in nectar and pollen and I saw er majesty - I assume she was a virgin. OR, I missed the eggs - more likely as it was my first ever inspection.

Then a week later (yesterday) second inspection, frames all a third to two thirds full of comb, sealed brood on 4 of the 6 frames (so I must have missed eggs?), a bit more wonky comb easily sorted. Again saw her ladyship and we considered trying to mark her but were not confident enough.

To help them fill out the remaining frames I gave them a couple of litres of 1:1 syrup.

We already have a full sized hive (Bee Box from MB) so the plan is to move them into that in a few week as the population rises, marking the queen if we get a chance. Got the frames to fill up the brood box (full foundation for the rest, not starter strips) ready. No super frames or foundation yet, I'll wait for the Maisies sale.

Oh and they are lovely and gentle, even when I was having to cut a bit of wonky comb they just wandered off it when I rested it on the frames back down into the nuc. Didn't need any smoke, which is just as well as my smoker lighting skills need work.

So...as a new beek, what have I forgotten?

 

[Erichalfbee]

How lovely to have caught such gentle bees.
I’d have vaped them before any brood was sealed.
Next time.
Well done

 

[pargyle]

You can often just bend any wonky comb (when it is fresh) into line with your frames and they will then get the hint and carry on in a more straight fashion. If you crush a few cells doing it they will fix the damage.

It's really best, when you don't use foundation, to put the frames without foundation in between two frames of drawn (or at least partially drawn) comb as they will then follow the same line (usually ... they do sometimes wander off piste !)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Welcome to the matrix

 

[drex]

Brilliant. Mark your queen sooner rather than later as she is easier to find the fewer the bees. I suggest a crown of thorns or a plunger type queen catcher to isolate her. With time comes the confidence to pick her up.

 

[pnkemp]

I did think about varroa treatment, but with Maisie’s closed I couldn’t wander in and ask advice on what to do and how. My Ted Hooper somewhat predates modern Varroa treatments and I’ve found lots of contradicting stuff online.

As for marking I have a crown of thorns and a pen but just before we opened up the hive I noticed the tip was too thick to fit through the holes so I need to carve it down somewhat before next time.

The wonky comb did need some bits removing as they’d overlapped two combs on the same frame. I trimmed one so the other could be bent around. Hopefully they’ll be straight and complete next time.

So far, so good though

 

[Swarm]

Is that a plastic crown of thorns you have? Bin it and get one with a thread cage and go about it carefully.
Make sure your (uniPosca?) is working properly.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Is that a plastic crown of thorns you have? Bin it and get one with a thread cage and go about it carefully.
Make sure your (uniPosca?) is working properly.

Posca pens of the correct nib width are readily and cheaply available on fleabay

 

[beeno]

What a wonderful start to beekeeping for you. Marking the queen at some point is, as said before, a good way to go as you may need to find her PDQ sooner than you might think. In the meantime try to tune in to seeing eggs and make sure your eyesight is up to it! Hope you have a peaceful first year's beekeeping.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

What a wonderful start to beekeeping for you. Marking the queen at some point is, as said before, a good way to go as you may need to find her PDQ sooner than you might think. In the meantime try to tune in to seeing eggs and make sure your eyesight is up to it! Hope you have a peaceful first year's beekeeping.

I have unmarked queens because I can never find them and it's a real disadvantage to me. Also, despite getting new varifocals last year, I still don't see eggs.....again a disadvantage. Good advice from beeno & co.

 

[drex]

In poor light I have a job to see eggs on some comb, so I will look on a darker comb. Failing that I settle for spotting young larvae.

 

[Erichalfbee]

In poor light I have a job to see eggs on some comb, so I will look on a darker comb. Failing that I settle for spotting young larvae.

A white light LED torch is invaluable here. I wouldn’t be without one.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I find it easier to see eggs on new comb rather than dark

 

[Murox]

A white light LED torch is invaluable here. I wouldn’t be without one.

Doh! -why on earth didn't I think of that!!

Thank you.

 

[E&MBees]

I have a little pocket magnifying glass which is so useful for spotting eggs.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I have a little pocket magnifying glass which is so useful for spotting eggs.

I did carry one once. But usually had difficulty finding it.

 

[Helen]

I usually have a strip led torch like this

https://www.screwfix.com/p/nebo-ne6373-lil-larry-led-torch-3-x-aaa/9107v

 

[ShinySideUp]

I have unmarked queens because I can never find them and it's a real disadvantage to me. Also, despite getting new varifocals last year, I still don't see eggs.....again a disadvantage. Good advice from beeno & co.

You are not alone. If I see larvae I consider myself content.

 

[pnkemp]

Is that a plastic crown of thorns you have? Bin it and get one with a thread cage and go about it carefully.
Make sure your (uniPosca?) is working properly.

Best of both worlds. I snipped out the big plastic grid and spent a couple of minutes threading up a cage across it. Hopefully tomorrow I'll prove it works and have a lovely marked queen.
Decided I'd rather sit on a plastic cage than one of the vicious ones with brass/steel sins.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It's the plastic pins that are part of the issue