Bee honest…did you inspect this weekend?

[Do224]

We had phenomenal weather this weekend…17 celcius yesterday and today and wall to wall sunshine. The bees were piling in pollen. Somehow I managed to resist the temptation to go further than peering through the clear crown boards. One colony is bursting with bees and it was sorely tempting to have a proper look. Hopefully I made the right decision in leaving them alone for another week or two.

 

[Sutty]

I was in exactly the same situation!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Honestly?
No
Plenty of time before swarming. Hefting the boxes though to keep an eye on stores
If there is a flow from dandelions I will be in though.

 

[Sutty]

My issue is that I'm bad at hefting! Partly because of a mixture of hives: single brood with/without a super, double brood in wood and poly, and a triple brood wooden hive (don't ask).
Last year I gave most of them some fondant and when I opened found plenty of stores!

 

[juno]

Yes, checking stores.
Then found drone cells amongst the capped worker cells and these….

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

last year's supersedure cells

 

[Sutty]

last year's supersedure cells

Really? I find cells are chewed at quite soon, and the lower one looks unsealed

 

[Sutty]

Yes, checking stores.
Then found drone cells amongst the capped worker cells and these….

View attachment 42227View attachment 42228

What did you do?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Really? I find cells are chewed at quite soon, and the lower one looks unsealed

I often find cells from last season late supersedures when I open up in the spring. Or do you think the swarmed a week ago and nobody noticed.
The lower one has definitely had the cap chewed off

 

[juno]

What did you do?

The upper cell was sealed, lower one open & charged. I had seen BIAS & eggs, so took down the 2 cells. Then saw a play cup with egg in.

I’ve reconfigured the hive from winter set up to summer.

Let them get on with it now.

 

[juno]

I often find cells from last season late supersedures when I open up in the spring. Or do you think the swarmed a week ago and nobody noticed.
The lower one has definitely had the cap chewed off

 

[Sutty]

The upper cell was sealed, lower one open & charged. I had seen BIAS & eggs, so took down the 2 cells. Then saw a play cup with egg in.

I’ve reconfigured the hive from winter set up to summer.

Let them get on with it now.

Quite a stretch to get a VQ mated yet.

 

[Do224]

.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The upper cell was sealed, lower one open & charged. I had seen BIAS & eggs, so took down the 2 cells. Then saw a play cup with egg in.

I’ve reconfigured the hive from winter set up to summer.

Let them get on with it now.

so you weren't 'just checking for stores' you did a full inspection.

 

[Sutty]

so you weren't 'just checking for stores' you did a full inspection.

Well he probably would if he pulled a frame and found a charged QC.

 

[BeekeeperBob]

Yes, did a quick check for brood and space.

Helped things along by moving some frames that kept the queen honey bound so she couldn't get onto empty comb.

Reduced a dozen double brood to singles.

Plenty of drone brood around in the purple eye stage.

 

[pargyle]

No .. watched them flying in the sunshine - hefting heavy ... left them to it. Going to be pretty cold again as the week progresses - not a time to be messing about with them.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Well he probably would if he pulled a frame and found a charged QC.

Why pull a frame? look at the cells - dark, old and propolised - was it actually charged with a growing larva or just old gunk remaining from last season?

 

[Do224]

Helped things along by moving some frames that kept the queen honey bound so she couldn't get onto empty comb.

I’m conscious I’ll likely need to do this too as they’re still hefting quite heavy

Reduced a dozen double brood to singles.

I’m also intending to do this on three hives. I’ve never done it before. Did you find that one bb (the bottom one?) was already empty of stores so it was simply a case of taking it away?

 

[BeekeeperBob]

I’m conscious I’ll likely need to do this too as they’re still hefting quite heavy

I’m also intending to do this on three hives. I’ve never done it before. Did you find that one bb (the bottom one?) was already empty of stores so it was simply a case of taking it away?

For most the hives the brood was just in the top box.
A few had chimneyd, we just moved them into one and kept them together.

A good few were honey bound on one side, so we just put the honey on the edges and the brood together next to empty comb.

We find it usually helps them along.

A few we removed capped stores and will keep them for nucs later.