Did I do the right thing?

[ericbeaumont]

inspecting the strongest colonies tomorrow and pulling out some frames if sealed brood and popping them in the tiny colony

Good idea, but as Swarm said, be aware that the small colony must have sufficent bees to cover brood given, because a sudden cold snap will make the nest contract. Give only sealed or emerging brood, and judge whether to give one or two combs now, and more in a couple of weeks.

BB of undrawn foundation under the existing BB for the strongest colonies

Yes, a quick fix to take the pressure off, but as Swarm suggested, a better plan would be to split the brood vertically and centrally between the boxes, so giving it the freedom to expand in two planes.

stop fiddling about with them

I read Paul's actions as organised and precautionary, and if Surrey is warmer than other parts of the country and bees are more advanced, I think it reasonable to carry out pro-activework rather than sort congestion in a few weeks.

Critical factors before opening a colony appear to be present: weather fine, purpose considered, beekeeper brain in action.

 

[pargyle]

I read Paul's actions as organised and precautionary, and if Surrey is warmer than other parts of the country and bees are more advanced, I think it reasonable to carry out pro-activework rather than sort congestion in a few weeks.

Critical factors before opening a colony appear to be present: weather fine, purpose considered, beekeeper brain in action.

Well .. I'm in probably the warmest and most sheltered part of the UK .. south of Surrey ..and it's bloody cold down here ! Not even in double figures today with a chill wind. We have to be careful not to encourage people to be tearing colonies apart because someone for one day feels it's warm enough ... Are bees more advanced this year ? My hives have plenty of bees in them but it's easy for an experienced beekeeper to realise that bees on all the frames are not a 'bursting' hive ... bees on all frames and 7 or 8 frames of brood at this time of the year would be a normal spring build up - the winter bees will be dying off now and the numbers will still drop as the new brood emerges. The less experienced beekeeper may not always appreciate that what appears to be a hive full of bees is just fairly normal ...and panic that they don't have room or are so advanced that they will imminently swarm.

There are people opening up colonies all over the place at present and those of us who have seen more springs should be encouraging those with less experience to exercise a bit of restraint and caution ... If there are concerns a quick look under the crownboard is not going to hurt but full inspections - what for ?

 

[ericbeaumont]

south of Surrey ..and it's bloody cold down here

Yet Paul has highs of 17C this week and the London forecast is consistently 15-16C until the middle of April (nothing below 14) so it's horses for courses, I reckon.

Let us not over-dramatise the awful danger of early checks, nor confuse dithery panic with purposeful action. Paul strikes me as a thinking beekeeper, and so long as we respond to his situation in warm Surrey and avoid the promotion of widespread opening of hives, all will be lovely.