Father and Daughter beekeepers from West Sussex

[Lee L]

They’re doing monthly zoom meetings in place of the usual physical meetings.

Hey Moobee. How are your bees doing this winter?

 

[Ian123]

Hi lee how are the bees doing. Ian

 

[Lee L]

Hi lee how are the bees doing. Ian

Hi Ian. Really well thanks. Went to see them last week and there were a few bees flying around. Lifted the lid off a gave them a couple of pots of fondant and plenty of bees in there. Poppy chose to put another brood box on them so she can split them in the spring and they filled up both boxes really well. We're looking forward to making some new queens from them this year as they are so calm.

How are yours doing?

 

[Moobee]

Hey Moobee. How are your bees doing this winter?

Hi Lee, crossed fingers all good so far. I had a small cast swarm given to me in July and also obtained a nice nuc with a lovely queen end of July. My main hive went through all sorts of trials with multiple queens during the year but they seem to be nice and busy when it's sunny. The final queen looked damaged (crumpled abdomen) so I will see how they look when I open up fully in a few months.
The cast swarm are mad, out in all weathers and eating all the fondant and the nuc which went into a full box in August are lovely and calm, very frugal and clustering tightly under the fondant! I'm hoping to breed from this queen this year and i'm going on a bee breeding course in April.
Hope your girls are all doing ok and stay good until Spring. I think there's more cold weather on the way.....

 

[Ian123]

Hi Ian. Really well thanks. Went to see them last week and there were a few bees flying around. Lifted the lid off a gave them a couple of pots of fondant and plenty of bees in there. Poppy chose to put another brood box on them so she can split them in the spring and they filled up both boxes really well. We're looking forward to making some new queens from them this year as they are so calm.

How are yours doing?

Hi Lee am glad to here they are doing well and am pleased they are still behaving. She’s the daughter from 1 of my breeders and as you saw when you collected on a nice day it’s shorts a tee shirt! If you comfortable with that sort of thing.
Good luck with the queen rearing, if your after some simple increase I’m sure I’ll have a spare queen if required. Call if you need……..Ian

 

[Curly green finger's]

Hi and welcome @Lee L I'm a fellow beekeeper who has help from some of the children ages 8,7 and 20 years.
They have helped with alsorts of things from moving colonys to inspections and marking queen's.
My 7 year old seems to be more interested and has no fear even after getting stung.
Good luck for the season ahead
C. G. F

 

[Lee L]

Hi Lee am glad to here they are doing well and am pleased they are still behaving. She’s the daughter from 1 of my breeders and as you saw when you collected on a nice day it’s shorts a tee shirt! If you comfortable with that sort of thing.
Good luck with the queen rearing, if your after some simple increase I’m sure I’ll have a spare queen if required. Call if you need……..Ian

Yes they have been great. Poppy had a little friend that want to come over and they were perfect. It was lovely to see Poppy share her passion.

That would be great. I wouldn't say no to a nice calm queen or 2 if you have some for sale. I insist on paying for them though now we are settled and up and running.

 

[Lee L]

Hi Lee, crossed fingers all good so far. I had a small cast swarm given to me in July and also obtained a nice nuc with a lovely queen end of July. My main hive went through all sorts of trials with multiple queens during the year but they seem to be nice and busy when it's sunny. The final queen looked damaged (crumpled abdomen) so I will see how they look when I open up fully in a few months.
The cast swarm are mad, out in all weathers and eating all the fondant and the nuc which went into a full box in August are lovely and calm, very frugal and clustering tightly under the fondant! I'm hoping to breed from this queen this year and i'm going on a bee breeding course in April.
Hope your girls are all doing ok and stay good until Spring. I think there's more cold weather on the way.....

Fingers crossed they all get through the next month or so. The next few days are a little worrying.

Up to now they all seem to be doing well.

 

[Lee L]

Hi and welcome @Lee L I'm a fellow beekeeper who has help from some of the children ages 8,7 and 20 years.
They have helped with alsorts of things from moving colonys to inspections and marking queen's.
My 7 year old seems to be more interested and has no fear even after getting stung.
Good luck for the season ahead
C. G. F

That's lovely they are interested. It's a great way to get some peaceful quality time with them away from electronics

 

[Curly green finger's]

That's lovely they are interested. It's a great way to get some peaceful quality time with them away from electronics

Yes it is the little guys soon loose interest though and end up going to climb trees or finding sticks and hitting nettles/thistles down... But the time together is priceless