First inspection of the year.

[Curly green finger's]

If I had to wait for T-shirt weather I'd have to take the bees with me on holiday to Alicante.

Wouldn't be a bad thing can I come

 

[Erichalfbee]

Exactly, weather does define the start of each season,

For most of us weather dictates when winter woolies morph into spring T shirts so it’s not a bad analogy.

 

[Mint Bee]

T shirt weather today in the south. 16C air temp and little wind. Sun, bees and blossom all out.

 

[Wilco]

T shirt weather today in the south. 16C air temp and little wind. Sun, bees and blossom all out.

Likewise, got very warm checking livestock. Bees having a party today and lots of pollen coming in. Started syrup feeding, changed a floor and gave in to temptation.

All very placid and happy save for one I've overwintered for someone, not aggressive/defensive but twitchy, and another was slightly twitchy but not as much, which looks like it'll be getting united (see photo)... Not entirely sure what's happened as they've been left alone except for feeding. Hopefully someone else nearby has a colony with a DLQ...

 

[E&MBees]

Cold and grey here. Will be sitting on my hands for a bit longer.

 

[Boston Bees]

Likewise, got very warm checking livestock. Bees having a party today and lots of pollen coming in. Started syrup feeding

Why?

 

[Wilco]

Why?

Some of the colonies a bit lighter than I'd like and also to encourage the queens to think about laying- OSR round this way.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Some of the colonies a bit lighter than I'd like and also to encourage the queens to think about laying- OSR round this way.

I'm finding quite a few of mine light, I think the warm weather has cause early brooding and some are running out of food. I opened a light one today and found many bees on the point of starvation. I sprayed the combs with sugar water but I'm not sure they will come through.
They had 6 frames of bees and brood on 3 frames but no food.

 

[Wilco]

I'm finding quite a few of mine light, I think the warm weather has cause early brooding and some are running out of food. I opened a light one today and found many bees on the point of starvation. I sprayed the combs with sugar water but I'm not sure they will come through.
They had 6 frames of bees and brood on 3 frames but no food. ☹

Mine a really mixed bag... Many have some stores, one bringing in decent amount of nectar, one (the possibly Q- one) had nothing.

 

[user 819]

16c for a an hour or two then suddenly the temps plummet to single figures within a few hours, the colony then will be in a disturbed agitated state all over the shot. The risk of chilled brood means a lot of good work by the bees possibly being undone.

Next week Tues or Weds the temps are expected to 15/16c, I for one will only be externally looking and hefting the hives and no more. Temps aren't stable enough yet to start fiddling.

Lifting the cb to feed fondant if light on stores is a necessary if short but other wise one should have a good reason to go in, then just for the sake of doing so.

 

[JamezF]

Average temperature here over the last month is about 7°C with no real sign of it rising during that period. There have been a few days where the maximum has crawled above 10°C, but I think it's going to be a while yet before anything exciting starts happening.

James

 

[drdrday]

Certainly looking, and feeling, more like spring here today. The bees were flying well. I'll be popping a bit of fondant on a nuc that's a little light this weekend, and weighing the other hives, but it'll probably be another month before I open any of them up properly.

 

[Antipodes]

I'm finding quite a few of mine light, I think the warm weather has cause early brooding and some are running out of food. I opened a light one today and found many bees on the point of starvation. I sprayed the combs with sugar water but I'm not sure they will come through.
They had 6 frames of bees and brood on 3 frames but no food. ☹

I get the impression that you've had a milder winter than usual in the UK. Not too many really cold and snowy spells?

 

[Newbeeneil]

I get the impression that you've had a milder winter than usual in the UK. Not too many really cold and snowy spells?

That’s my point. My bees seem to have been active a lot as the temperatures this winter have been quite mild.

 

[enrico]

I get the impression that you've had a milder winter than usual in the UK. Not too many really cold and snowy spells?

I guess you are reaching the end of your summer there. Good crop?

 

[Murox]

I get the impression that you've had a milder winter than usual in the UK. Not too many really cold and snowy spells?

Maybe for some - its not just temperatures though - wind and rain have kept my lot inside for weeks - February was particularly bad with storm after storm and I don't mean just the bigger named ones. Even today wind is over 30mph although the temperature (out of the wind) is a balmy 9 degrees, its set to rain later of course.

 

[Hiveanidea]

Desperately hoping to get into the hives next week as up to now temps only 10 max or so and WINDY! My bees hit the Ivy really hard last October and some are unusually heavy for this time of year. I’m almost certain that brood boxes will be stuffed with with it and cramping laying space for new bees. All are taking fondant which further confirms my suspicions and winter bees are getting tired l’m sure.
WHY do they go for Ivy when it’s so useless to them……..where’s ‘evolution’ when you really need it! Is there something l could have done earlier?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes since the storms it seems to be windy here practically every day

 

[Erichalfbee]

WHY do they go for Ivy when it’s so useless to them……..where’s ‘evolution’ when you really need it! Is there something l could have done earlier?

Ivy is fine. I don’t know why this idea is so prevalent. My bees have always coped with it.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

WHY do they go for Ivy when it’s so useless to them

Who on earth told you that fable!? it's as good a source of winter food ad any other, my bees thrive on it