First Inspection not quite...

[einsteinagogo]

Back for 2014 where we left off single colony went into winter (what winter) on standard national bb over super.

Everything has gone well but stores got low in Feb to March a friend put 2.5kg of fondant on in eke on top of crown board. I was away. As insurance.

OSR is just coming out. In local fields less than 3m away from hive.

Its really foggy here all day and temps at 5 degree C I just feel too cold for bees and me they are not flying much at present.

So thinking too low temp for full inspection should I remove super underneath and move on top above queen excluder or is this too cold or just quickly drop a super on top quickly I got drawn wet supers from last season.

Time to remove mouse guard?

And time to remove fondant its mostly all eaten....probably best not to feed with sup on....

And how do I get the bees out of packet just leave outside or shake smoke them out.

Thanks again

Just preparing for early swarming if weather changes..
.


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[enrico]

I would leave super on bottom for moment, put QE and super on top. That way you should have enough room, stop feeding, remove mouse guard, shake bees out of packet, if you lose a few don't worry,
As soon as OSR starts nectar will be coming in fast so keep an eye on them. Remove and spin as soon as OSR is over. Inspect as soon as warm enough they may be stronger than you think, look for queen cells
E

 

[einsteinagogo]

Enrico thanks for super fast response. Really cold weather is preventing inspection but as soon as temp is up will inspect for QC.

Will follow advice. Thanks Suit up this Sat.

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[enrico]

You may have to make your own judgements as clearly colder there than here! Sat in a 't 'shirt at the moment!

 

[einsteinagogo]

The problem is the heavy fog bound days is excluding day light and warmth.

But I can quickly do add super remove mouseguard remove foundant.

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[Rosti]

I'd go with enrico but with a slight variant.
If you have a spare floor that'll make this easier.
Spare floor, place brood to new floor.
QE on top
Super from bottom to top
Inspect frames of super for signs of Queen, if you find her put her back to brood.
If you find signs of laying but no queen in the super then do not disturb the brood box for now
Check store levels, if in doubt 1xltr 1:1 through rapid feeder through crown board. If not close up, wait a week. inspect normally.

 

[einsteinagogo]

Yes I have spares but that means moving high and worried its too cold for all that manipulation. Its 5 degrees C here during the day at midday! But I see the method

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[Rosti]

That's true for those temps, so modify to run in stages - it isn't an invasive operation this way. If you really need to you could simply use your spare floor and switch over with the QE between, close up, then inspect the super for evidence later / sort out feed as you see fit. It is the frame removal that costs a lot of the heat loss and causes the higher bee activity that burns energy. Work swiftly and efficiently, organise yourself and your hive parts up front. You do need to get the Q under control and in the brood box and clear down the super of brood earlier rather than later to get control back.
Don't forget opening up a hive in sub 5 on a Jan morning to administer ox-acid is nothing new! Then again, you are about to get 10^4 variants of advice as this thread gets longer! Good luck. R

 

[einsteinagogo]

I assume putting down new floor is in a new location next to existing hive. So roof off crown board off bb off and onto new floor QE on bb and super from old floor onto bb. Crown board on roof on.

Now at present this hive is on a wooden pallet on the ground

I could transfer onto two hive hive stand which is higher in roughly same location....so this should be no issues if within 3ft?

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[Rosti]

I assume putting down new floor is in a new location next to existing hive. So roof off crown board off bb off and onto new floor QE on bb and super from old floor onto bb. Crown board on roof on.

Now at present this hive is on a wooden pallet on the ground

I could transfer onto two hive hive stand which is higher in roughly same location....so this should be no issues if within 3ft?

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Rebuild the hive right next to it, immediately move back in to original position. the intention is restacking not moving, the second floor is simply to let you re-stack pronto and limit exposure/heat loss.
Bonus bogof - You may as well take the benefit of a clean floor, which should be undertaken at this time of year anyway for hygiene purposes.

 

[iand]

You may have to make your own judgements as clearly colder there than here! Sat in a 't 'shirt at the moment!

Took the thermal base layer off after the other day, to hot when working with the bees, big mistake, when not grafting hard it's back to jumper and maybe body warmer as well, cold wind off the sea. We are still waiting for the heatwave up here or has it been and gone?

 

[einsteinagogo]

Ah that's get more difficult because does that not mean bb super crown board and roof all needs lifting back?

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[Rosti]

Ah that's get more difficult because does that not mean bb super crown board and roof all needs lifting back?

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Of course, but they are pretty much as light as they'll get this time of year, alternatively, as soon as the brood is on the new floor, switch the two so floor and BB back in proper position (you could use manipulation cloths or a spare crown on the super while doing this if it really is that cold), then continue the build....... then roof on, home for a coffee remembering to pick up your 'old' floor. Hope that clarifies. R

 

[iand]

Yes I have spares but that means moving high and worried its too cold for all that manipulation. Its 5 degrees C here during the day at midday! But I see the method

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Forecast is for 14c on Saturday and Sunday(+showers) for Scarborough so should ok at some point. Don't forget you can use an upturned roof to stand spare hive bits on while you work. Work out your plan of action beforehand and it will be fine.

 

[einsteinagogo]

Thanks guys will sit down with pad build an action plan and complete sat or sun.

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[Gilberdyke John]

Ah that's get more difficult because does that not mean bb super crown board and roof all needs lifting back?

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If it's a matter of help lifting I'm not that far away from you. I'd suggest picking up the whole thing, moving off the position. Position your new stand and clean base on current site, part your brood box from understores and put brood onto clean base. At that point check your brood if it's warm enough. If f your osr is coming into flow put one of your wet supers on to accommodate it but my local fields look about a week away yet.

 

[einsteinagogo]

@Gilberdyke John, Thanks I'll see how I get on!

Anyway, weather today, was rubbish, too cold for full inspection, and spitting with rain, so I though I'd be quick, remove insulation, remove mouse guard, remove crown board and fondant (this was fun shaking the bees out of the foundant pack, outside the hive!), OSR is coming into full flower, and dropped on a queen excluder and wet super, with clear crownboard, so I can check on levels, before adding another super.

this will give them some more space at least.

Bees actually were very nice, not grumpy despit the cold weather.

As for removing the current super below bb, and new floor etc I'll wait for warmer weather, and then full inspection. Did what I could based on current weather.

(so fingers crossed!).

 

[Gilberdyke John]

@Gilberdyke John, Thanks I'll see how I get on!

Anyway, weather today, was rubbish, too cold for full inspection, and spitting with rain, so I though I'd be quick, remove insulation, remove mouse guard, remove crown board and fondant (this was fun shaking the bees out of the foundant pack, outside the hive!), OSR is coming into full flower, and dropped on a queen excluder and wet super, with clear crownboard, so I can check on levels, before adding another super.

this will give them some more space at least.

Bees actually were very nice, not grumpy despit the cold weather.

As for removing the current super below bb, and new floor etc I'll wait for warmer weather, and then full inspection. Did what I could based on current weather.

(so fingers crossed!).

Improvise, adapt and overcome
We had showers and somewhat cooler weather than yesterday. As a result I only did a partial check of my hives today, put supers on the two strongest 14 x 12s and checked space available for stores and laying in the other two hives. Removed the last of the fondant from the weakest hive now even that hive has constant air traffic.
Last weekend checks were accompanied by tetchy bees but this weekend the bees mood was entirely different and they were a joy to work with.

 

[einsteinagogo]

Yes, I'm learning and will try to Improvise, adapt and overcome!