First inspection of the year.

[Martimart]

Thank you. I feel foolish but will leave this here as guidance for others in the hope it helps!

Try and get another Hive / Nuc once they are available, then if you bugger up one Hive the other will help you get out of the mess.

 

[Amari]

No two colonies behave the same so two colonies = faster learning the craft.

 

[Boston Bees]

Try and get another Hive / Nuc once they are available, then if you bugger up one Hive the other will help you get out of the mess.

Even better, if you have 10, you can bugger up 5!

 

[madasafish]

Never mind. In five years time, you will be telling beginners what not to do - based on this experience.

Beekeeping is full of errors even when you are experienced!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Never mind. In five years time, you will be telling beginners what not to do - based on this experience.

Beekeeping is full of errors even when you are experienced!

Yep....every year I think.....This is it, I have the measure of you this year....
Every year the bees laugh at me

 

[Nige.Coll]

A bit too keen to get in and have a look, something every new beekeeper has been guilty of.

 

[Beegarden]

Eeep! Sheltered garden, full sun so felt warm enough.

I was always told not to open any hives until the red flowering current (Ribes sanguineum) is in flower; mine is in bud, but a while from flowering properly. I hope it works out.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I was always told not to open any hives until the red flowering current (Ribes sanguineum) is in flower; mine is in bud, but a while from flowering properly. I hope it works out.

Interesting I've seen one starting to open yesterday in Shrewsbury

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

have you heard of crossover.?

What is crossover?
(brilliant thread, BTW)

 

[Erichalfbee]

Crossover is when the spring bee numbers emerging exceed the winter bees dying.

 

[0bee-1]

Please don’t feel foolish. We have all made mistakes. The hardest thing when you’re a beginner is to sit on your hands especially as we’ve been bee-less since the autumn.

Exactly ! We all make mistakes and that is how we learn and remember... both from the good and the not so good experiences... Cornwall will certainly be warmer and milder than here in Norfolk , Lincolnshire or North Wales and Scotland at present...

 

[FlySwat]

@pargyle.

"you should not open the hive until you can do it in shorts and a T-shirt has served most beekeepers very well."

Thank you. New to me, but so easy to apply.

Newbie (August '21) and habitual lurker

 

[Cuckmere couple]

T shirt and shorts a good test...plus...are you doing it for your benefit or theirs....always works as a conscience prompter

 

[Swarm]

Depends, one of my neighbours is dressed like that throughout the year and the T shirt is more of a vest.

 

[Murox]

Depends, one of my neighbours is dressed like that throughout the year and the T shirt is more of a vest.

Onslow?

 

[JamezF]

Onslow?

Or he's a postie.

James

 

[Curly green finger's]

@pargyle.

"you should not open the hive until you can do it in shorts and a T-shirt has served most beekeepers very well."

Thank you. New to me, but so easy to apply.

Newbie (August '21) and habitual lurker

Depends, one of my neighbours is dressed like that throughout the year and the T shirt is more of a vest.

I treat this like the three mile rule it's a guide, if I was to wait for teashirt weather it would be may time already.

 

[user 20297]

I treat this like the three mile rule it's a guide, if I was to wait for teashirt weather it would be may time already.

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

 

[Swarm]

It was May before I even opened a hive in 2013, it was bitter cold throughout April. Last year I was adding supers at the end of March as there was a flow and brood combs were full of nectar.

 

[Curly green finger's]

It was May before I even opened a hive in 2013, it was bitter cold throughout April. Last year I was adding supers at the end of March as there was a flow and brood combs were full of nectar.

Exactly, weather does define the start of each season, like last year like you said April was brilliant then it went cold for me in May.
I was splitting brood with frames of comb in April last year, but only on the strongest that had enough bees to cover the extra frames.