Bees haven’t been reading the books - nightmare spring

[Newbeeneil]

I had a similar experience while trying to swat a rather attentive guard in an out apiary. One one of my lenses popped out into the long grass. After lots of unsuccessful feeling in the long grass I got the idea of putting a tissue in the empty lense aperture. This meant I was not confusing my brain with one eye in focus and one out. Within about 5 mins of this tweak I found the lost lense!

The squinting buggered up the vision in my good eye!

 

[Nighthaunt]

Sadly took a piriton immediately - just seem to swell up when zapped.

 

[Nighthaunt]

Firstly a bit of an update - thank you for the advice on Apis Mel 30c from Amazon. Made a big difference and will keep using in future.

well what’s happened since the last update:
Last week inspected - marked last years queen (the prime swarm nuc), Queen from this year from overwintered nuc and queen from the cast swarm nuc - the artificial split nuc with the Queen cell from main hive - saw larvae but couldn’t spot queen - checked main hive - no eggs or larvae so closed up.

Last years stunning queen - undergoing Bailey comb change down from 14 x 12 into deep national for fellow beginner.


overwintered NUC queen - the nuc filledand capped another 5 super frames - swapped with uncapped super frames in the main hive.

Cast swarm queen - mated and laying - the cast swarm was pretty big so nuc is doing well - this one is being donated to the local association which is starting from scratch at a new apiary site.

Will reply with todays manipulations below - easier in two posts than one.

 

[Nighthaunt]

So today I decided it’s the best weather - took half day annual leave to try and find and mark the queens in artificial split nuc, main hive, and move the remaining 14 x 12 frames from the Bailey comb change into both of these to reinforce with some fresh capped brood.



main hive queen - larvae in the frames - now reinforced with a couple of frames of capped brood but still lots of bees - 3 supers mostly capped with honey as well - pleased seemed to find the queen very quickly at a glance.


Artificial split nuc - found the queen and marked - surprisingly few bees inside - reinforced with 3 frames of capped brood from Bailey comb change - hopefully helps get the colony increase in size quickly - this nucleus, and a caddon 14 x 12 hive is being donated to the local association apiary to help get it running.

now - the bailey comb change nuc (14 x 12 BShoneybee nuc base - Maisemore national brood body above (Queen excluder between) - eke above with an exit for drones - Queen excluder above and super).

Well it was absolutely packed with bees - there was no way they would fit in a single brood body - put the build out nationals in base of nuc and added 6 new foundation brood frames above - now has 12 national brood frames so just above the size of a normal hive - with a super above.

The beekeeper the colony is going to has a Hyde long hive adapted to allow her to keep bees easier - so super frames will be coming back to me and colony will be off to another local keeper for a week to ensure over 3 miles between moves (is a week too long/short? 2 moves - one from mine to 5 miles away - then back to 4 miles away from middle location).


There is 6 frames in there - however the bees are absolutely packed with no room to get the rest in - empty additional brood box to right which went on top with another 6 national brood foundation frames.

I must say I found the one handed queen catcher photoed so easy to use - easy to capture queen and so good for marking - made first queen marking so easy was really impressed.

Many thanks

Alex

 

[Erichalfbee]

Phew. It seems to have worked out. Time and patience.

 

[Nighthaunt]

Phew. It seems to have worked out. Time and patience.

Yes - all calm once again and the girls are starting to head to their permanent homes (or building up ready to do so) - helps as can recognise what went wrong (always mark your queen before winterising hive is one lesson) and double check when knocking down that you haven’t got any remaining young larvae - I’m going to try and move out some of the very dark frames the bees arrived in as almost impossible to see anything in them which doesn’t help.

I did boil in the mid twenties weather doing manipulations over 3 hours this afternoon -brought out the plastic friend and ordered a Sentinel Pro II suit which should hopefully help me remain cool (or at least not bathed in sweat) this summer.

Other half pleased as with all queen mated can now mow the lawn again

 

[Boston Bees]

thank you for the advice on Apis Mel 30c from Amazon. Made a big difference

Given what the 30c means, it's physically impossible that it made any difference at all

But then, the power of the mind ....

 

[Nighthaunt]

Given what the 30c means, it's physically impossible that it made any difference at all

But then, the power of the mind ....

If it’s psychosomatic I’m still happy - got last week on finger while marking queens, normally fingers swell up and then onto back of hand - very slight swelling at sting site but no other.

Whatever the cause - it’s a lot better than previous stings.

 

[W0otz]

If it’s psychosomatic I’m still happy - got last week on finger while marking queens, normally fingers swell up and then onto back of hand - very slight swelling at sting site but no other.

Whatever the cause - it’s a lot better than previous stings.

Stung on the back of the index finger on my right hand, my hand was a balloon for a few days. Tip of the thumb on my left hand... sting site was slightly tender for a couple of days but no swelling or redness at all.

I'm going to have to agree with @Boston Bees and say it wasn't the Apis Mel. Psychosomatic or just the inherent sting variability I would say.