Bee Cut-Outs...

[Somerford]

Well, what a day - talk about two buses coming along at once. I had a text last night from my beekeeping partner who said he had been told about a colony in a porch roof - which we duly inspected at 10am today...it was 9 degrees and not a thing was flying, although overcast and a chilly wind I wasn't surprised.
We agreed with the home owner that we would removed the tiles and go in through the rafters rather than up through the ceiling (rather easier to work I think)
Scaffold tower needed for safety but that's ok as I have one .... but another pre-visit will be needed to see if anything is actually there in numbers. The plan here will be to try and attach the combs for a top bar hive (after all that's what my buddy wants) but I will bring some 14x12s just in case !

Then....drove a hour south to another cut out which I have known about for a while in a stable wall and, would you believe it ? In the space of 3 hours, it had warmed up enough for me to see 1000's of bees when I arrived (although some were so yellow with pollen I almost mistook them for wasps at first)

This will be a vertical cut out, bottom upwards removing the panelling as I go, with the intention of putting the comb into 14x12 frames held in place by wire.

I may also christen my new bee-vac, although I do need another hose (might have to pay a trip to the tip and see if I can aquire one) but all depends on timings.

I'll post images when I can, although they will be a couple of weeks yet as the weather looks shocking over the next 7-10 days and I want to be certain I have drones ready just in case I loose (both) queens and emergency cells are built.

Excited - yes !

regards

S

 

[Heather]

Well done- two recoveries..
Less good here- I have another queen that has failed to kick start - just a few dozen capped brood. Maybe just the unpredictable weather- given the little colony a frame feed. Fingers crossed. There is pollen more than nectar being brought in.