Could be time to break out the shorts...

[JamezF]

After what would appear to be a far cooler few weeks than some people have been having, it was 14°C here today and the forecast for Thursday onwards suggests that we might see quite a few sunny days with temperatures easily climbing into the teens. In turn that means only just over four months after it got too chilly to be wearing them all day I could well be back in shorts again. My legs won't even have had time to get properly pasty and white!

So it might be quite tempting this weekend to crack open a few crown boards and sneak a quick look at what's happening indoors.

James

 

[Boston Bees]

I've sworn an oath to wait until the month starts with an "April", however warm it is. We'll see.

 

[Murox]

Now show me yours

 

[pargyle]

After what would appear to be a far cooler few weeks than some people have been having, it was 14°C here today and the forecast for Thursday onwards suggests that we might see quite a few sunny days with temperatures easily climbing into the teens. In turn that means only just over four months after it got too chilly to be wearing them all day I could well be back in shorts again. My legs won't even have had time to get properly pasty and white!

So it might be quite tempting this weekend to crack open a few crown boards and sneak a quick look at what's happening indoors.

James

Why ... what do you need to know ? Curiosity killed the cat ...

 

[JamezF]

Why ... what do you need to know ? Curiosity killed the cat ...

I want to have some clue about what sort of shape the colonies are in so I have an idea of how soon I need to have everything ready to do comb changes. I'm hoping that I have a while yet, but I'd prefer to be better informed. Given that it's been a exceptionally mild winter I'm really not sure what to expect.

James

 

[pargyle]

I want to have some clue about what sort of shape the colonies are in so I have an idea of how soon I need to have everything ready to do comb changes. I'm hoping that I have a while yet, but I'd prefer to be better informed. Given that it's been a exceptionally mild winter I'm really not sure what to expect.

James

Hmmm ... they are barely out of winter ...so they will be (slowly) starting to build up, indeed, often at this time of year the colony numbers are dropping as the winter bees die off and the new brood starts to emerge - fiddling for the sake of 'knowing' something you don't really need to know is just going to set them back and slow down their progress ... There's no point in trying to change combs until there's enough flow for them to work with ... if you need to do comb changes the kindest way is to just work the old combs out a couple at a time as the season develops but even in the barmy, semi mediterranean Costa del Fareham ... let alone Wivelscombe ... whilst we may be a little ahead of our friends in the North - the season is not yet upon us.

Use your time to get the framesyou may need ready, finish off the last bits of winter maintenance and check your stored boxes and frames for wax moth or other damage ... sit on your hands and let the bees get on with it. We are not really in shorts and t-shirt weather yet despite your hardy knees - one swallow does not make a summer, ne'er cast a clout till may is out.

 

[enrico]

Hmmm ... they are barely out of winter ...so they will be (slowly) starting to build up, indeed, often at this time of year the colony numbers are dropping as the winter bees die off and the new brood starts to emerge - fiddling for the sake of 'knowing' something you don't really need to know is just going to set them back and slow down their progress ... There's no point in trying to change combs until there's enough flow for them to work with ... if you need to do comb changes the kindest way is to just work the old combs out a couple at a time as the season develops but even in the barmy, semi mediterranean Costa del Fareham ... let alone Wivelscombe ... whilst we may be a little ahead of our friends in the North - the season is not yet upon us.

Use your time to get the framesyou may need ready, finish off the last bits of winter maintenance and check your stored boxes and frames for wax moth or other damage ... sit on your hands and let the bees get on with it. We are not really in shorts and t-shirt weather yet despite your hardy knees - one swallow does not make a summer, ne'er cast a clout till may is out.

I don't think my bees even got into winter mode this year. Signs of brood all winter!

 

[E&MBees]

Well, all this talk of shorts has jinxed the weather today. It’s pouring with rain again !

 

[JamezF]

Well, all this talk of shorts has jinxed the weather today. It’s pouring with rain again !

Today was forecast to be a bit miserable here, and it certainly is.

James

 

[Curly green finger's]

Interesting took a quick look at some nucs yesterday 14c lovely sunny day and know wind, up here on the hills that's a really good day.
I've also now got a gasibo which I will be using.

 

[hemo]

Fiddling and the night temps are at times still near to freezing once the sun goes down, the temps drop quite rapidly.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Fiddling and the night temps are at times still near to freezing once the sun goes down, the temps drop quite rapidly.

Aye it can still be like that in the middle of April even into May.

 

[The Poot]

Shorts are certainly not the order of the day here, more snorkel and flippers...

 

[Boston Bees]

Interesting took a quick look at some nucs yesterday 14c lovely sunny day and know wind, up here on the hills that's a really good day.
I've also now got a gasibo which I will be using.

You just say these things to wind Pargyle up

 

[Curly green finger's]

You just say these things to wind Pargyle up

No, I have nucs being sold last week in April.

 

[Boston Bees]

No, I have nucs being sold last week in April.

OK

Did you find you needed to do anything to the nucs?

 

[Mint Bee]

bees don't know what April is Its only 5 weeks away - there'll be ready when there ready

 

[Amari]

So it might be quite tempting this weekend to crack open a few crown boards and sneak a quick look at what's happening indoors.
James

It was 15C yesterday and windless. Hives busy in the sun. Pollen ++. Chastened by losing two colonies by starvation last year I decided to check stores in five hives (super above BB, no QX). I had fed syrup in September and given 2.5 kg fondant to all hives in Jan/Feb.
Ouch: I have overfed these hives. Many/most super frames full of capped stores. What to do?

 

[Boston Bees]

It was 15C yesterday and windless. Hives busy in the sun. Pollen ++. Chastened by losing two colonies by starvation last year I decided to check stores in five hives (super above BB, no QX). I had fed syrup in September and given 2.5 kg fondant to all hives in Jan/Feb.
Ouch: I have overfed these hives. Many/most super frames full of capped stores. What to do?

You could probably have checked just by hefting or weighing, as the hives must weight quite a bit? But for next time, anyway.

I have some hives with plenty of honey left too. It's fine. Wait till first proper inspection in April, when the nectar flow is definitely consistently available for the next 2 weeks (can be checked via the weather forecast), and then address the issue. You can at that stage choose to remove any capped frames, re-insert a queen excluder etc etc, depending on what you find.

They aren't going to start swarm preps in March, however full the super is.

 

[Nannysbees]

I want to have some clue about what sort of shape the colonies are in so I have an idea of how soon I need to have everything ready to do comb changes. I'm hoping that I have a while yet, but I'd prefer to be better informed. Given that it's been a exceptionally mild winter I'm really not sure what to expect.

James

We went on first week of April last year and had 9 queen cells waiting for us in one hive!!!!