Could be time to break out the shorts...

[Ringlander]

Beautiful day here in Norfolk, 14 degC and bright sun. Bees hauling in pollen with great enthusiam. Quick peek through the poly crownboards shows they are heavily into bracecomb inside the eke now they've finished off the fondant. Hives very heavy and gained a kilo in a week. Itching to get inside and see what's going on, but still think it's too early, although I am (optimistically) starting to fret about having enough brood space. Based on the hive weights I have about 18kg of stores in each hive, if that's all in the 14x12 brood box then I should still have about 1/2 of the frames available for brood,so that sounds like plenty. They all have one super nadired as well so if they do run short of brood space I guess they will move the stores down into these?

 

[Boston Bees]

They all have one super nadired as well so if they do run short of brood space I guess they will move the stores down into these?

Bees never move nectar from above brood to below brood, as far as I know.

They will start using the nadired super for brood if they need to though

Hives very heavy and gained a kilo in a week.

That's good - is that due to eating the fondant, or had they finished it a week ago and the weight increase is all nectar?

 

[Ringlander]

Amazingly the weight gain must be all Nectar and pollen as the fondant weight was included in the previous figures.....

Don't really want the brood to go into the nadirs if possible, so probably best if I get them off when I finally do the first inspection. It's just knowing when to finally go in there!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Been bleedin cold all week here - a bit of ground frost first thing this morning around dawn.
Now it's raining

 

[JamezF]

Been outside most of the morning in a T-shirt here, despite the breeze.

James

 

[Bumble Bee Slim]

With legs like mine, shorts should never be broken out but should remain behind lock and key 365 days a year !

 

[pargyle]

Heavy frost on the car this morning at 7.00am ... Lovely sunny day now but chilly out of the sunshine ... ,more sun forecast for tomorrow and the weekend and temperatures set for between 12 and 14 degrees ... We are not quite there yet but the bees are loving it - they are bringing in buckets of pollen and it's looking promising. Watching the landing boards all colonies look fit and healthy ... very busy at the entrances.

At the same time I was watching a green woodpecker working it's way up one of the yew trees making a heck of a noise ... I was going to get a photo and the dog took exception to the noise (and possibly the bird !) and let out a half bark half howl and frightened it off !

I never get any woodpecker damage so I suspect it's a learned behaviour and the ones where we live have not yet discovered beehive treats.....long may it continue.

 

[The Poot]

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?

I have the answer. Spin it out, jar it and sell it to “your best customer “ it may be the “honey” she’s been looking for.

 

[elainemary]

Sounds more like being caught in the cold, it's warm in the sunshine but a cloud passes and it's instantly cold. I was working on stands up the farm a while ago, it was seven degrees and sunny and the bees were everywhere. Like you describe, small groups collected here and there.
Did they disperse later? By the end of my visit, they were all tucked up inside again.

Quite a few were comatose the following morning. I scooped quite a few up & stuck them back in the entrance and they have disappeared. They've all been fine today, flying and no groups or bees on the floor, so think I've over worried. Thanks for your thoughts though, helps, even when it might seem trivial!

 

[elainemary]

Amazingly the weight gain must be all Nectar and pollen as the fondant weight was included in the previous figures.....

Don't really want the brood to go into the nadirs if possible, so probably best if I get them off when I finally do the first inspection. It's just knowing when to finally go in there!

Think I'd leave it til a good day in April. I moved all mine up last year 15-17 April and of the 10 I did, only one colony had brood in one of the supers and on one frame only. It had to be the one with drone comb in! Still used that in a nice colony that I wanted more drones from so worked out fine. I'm much further north than you so probably could do quickly before then, but Id still wouldn't do in March.

 

[enrico]

Think I'd leave it til a good day in April. I moved all mine up last year 15-17 April and of the 10 I did, only one colony had brood in one of the supers and on one frame only. It had to be the one with drone comb in! Still used that in a nice colony that I wanted more drones from so worked out fine. I'm much further north than you so probably could do quickly before then, but Id still wouldn't do in March.

Have a quick look under the floor. They may be undershooting the entrance. Getting cold at night and dying. It is a common fault. If that is the case then block the area between the landing area and the ground. You can loose many bees this way so worth a quick check!
Sorry put this on the wrong post but to the right person!

 

[user 819]

Been bleedin cold all week here - a bit of ground frost first thing this morning around dawn.
Now it's raining

No going in then JBK .

 

[user 819]

Cleaned off the mite boards last week and checked them this week, good to see pollen and uncapping of stores debris on the floor and only a couple of mites. Will wait for good temps then all will have a sugar roll.

 

[Wilco]

Lovely here, been in shorts this afternoon in the garden (is a sun trap though) and currently on the swing seat next to the mini Weber, which is on fire pit duties with my wood offcuts. Beautiful clear night.

Getting consistent warm forecast during daytime for the next few days but significantly cooler at night unlike last week. Girls were very busy flying again today and significant amounts of pollen coming in. They're about to get another source as the big willow about 3m from the hives is just starting to yield pollen.

 

[JamezF]

Been lovely here, too. Over 15°C today, and I was out in short sleeves until about 7pm when it was getting a little cloudier, so perhaps that will keep things warmer overnight. Still above 9°C even now. At the moment our forecast is for pretty much the same to continue into the middle of next week.

James

 

[elainemary]

Have a quick look under the floor. They may be undershooting the entrance. Getting cold at night and dying. It is a common fault. If that is the case then block the area between the landing area and the ground. You can loose many bees this way so worth a quick check!
Sorry put this on the wrong post but to the right person!

Hi
I was on my hands and knees looking at the bees underneath the hive couple of days ago. Fortunately the varroa slider was in and I came to the same conclusion. Stop panicking, it’s not CBPV, they’re tired and undershooting and now getting cold. I care and fret too much at times.

Is there anything more I can do other than try to rescue any who don’t make it back in? Perhaps I should put a piece of plywood below the entrance so they can’t undershoot…. It’s a glorious sunny morning here but a very hard frost last night.

 

[elainemary]

Hi yes sorry I realised that afterwards but didn’t know how to move it
I was on my hands and knees looking at the bees underneath the hive couple of days ago. Fortunately the varroa slider was in and I came to the same conclusion. Stop panicking, it’s not CBPV, they’re tired and undershooting and now getting cold. I care and fret too much at times.

Is there anything more I can do other than try to rescue any who don’t make it back in? Perhaps I should put a piece of plywood below the entrance so they can’t undershoot…. It’s a glorious sunny morning here but a very hard frost last night

 

[elainemary]

Have a quick look under the floor. They may be undershooting the entrance. Getting cold at night and dying. It is a common fault. If that is the case then block the area between the landing area and the ground. You can loose many bees this way so worth a quick check!
Sorry put this on the wrong post but to the right person!

Oops just spotted your advice re blocking the area! Top tip!

 

[Martimart]

Bringing home the bacon this morning. Fondant nearly gone in both my hives, I’m assuming if the weather stays ok, then let them finish it and don’t then replace with anymore. It’s been on 8 weeks, so not exactly wolfing it down like teenagers. Also as this is my first time overwintering Bee’s can I assume if both colonies were nice and friendly last summer will they still be so in spring or can they change temperament over time. Queens will be just turning 1 this spring time.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Bringing home the bacon this morning. Fondant nearly gone in both my hives, I’m assuming if the weather stays ok, then let them finish it and don’t then replace with anymore. It’s been on 8 weeks, so not exactly wolfing it down like teenagers. Also as this is my first time overwintering Bee’s can I assume if both colonies were nice and friendly last summer will they still be so in spring or can they change temperament over time. Queens will be just turning 1 this spring time.
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Some colonys in the spring can be a bit defensive because of one thing or another, but will settle down as the season progresses.
Brood pheromone, stores, weather, how you inspect all plays its part.
We can only assess there behaviour and give them a chance if they persist to be defensive for a long period, then think about requeening etc.