First Inspection Photos

[Jonny901]

Hi,

I'm a brand new beekeeper and just did my first inspection. I ended up doing it only 5 days after installing a nuc as I was walking the dog and saw a swarm in the park and feared it was mine. Turns out it wasn't mine.

Anyway, I wasn't 100% sure what I was looking at when doing my inspection. I've added a few photos and would really appreciate anyone commenting on what they see. Especially looking at the large domed cells on the right hand edge of the photo number ending in 07.

Also, the photo of the new comb is all the comb they've drawn, which I don't think looks like much but I could be wrong.

The photos are at this link.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8bz9pshkhys8s14/AADki7cmUkTRv_gzJaS8m5UZa?dl=0

Thanks!

 

[Swarm]

What about the swarm in the park?

 

[Jonny901]

The groundsman said he'd already called someone to collect it.

 

[Erichalfbee]

What about the swarm in the park?

Yes....did you get them?

Hi,

I'm a brand new beekeeper and just did my first inspection.

Anyway, I wasn't 100% sure what I was looking at when doing my inspection. I've added a few photos

It's difficult to give you much information on those.
You have bees, new bees capped worker brood and some drone.
Are you a member of a beekeeping club or do you have a mentor?

 

[chrisb]

"O" I do love these games of spot the queen ... LOL

 

[chrisb]

PS.. they looking good

 

[Jonny901]

I'm a member of Manchester beekeepers but find it difficult to regularly attend due to work. I had no trouble spotting the queen I've seen her when I first installed them and this time.

I just wondered if everything looked OK to everyone and I thought the comb they were drawing didn't look like much. They are being fed syrup at the minute but its not gone down much.

 

[snelgrove]

it's important to get some help straight away because you could be looking at swarming in the next few weeks. without having any real idea and I am sorry not being rude, you could end up with losing your bees totally

 

[Hetayl]

Lovely bees and brood but they need more space. Would be good to buy some more equipment and advise from your association.

 

[alfazer]

The cells you mention in pic xxx7 are just drone cells and nothing to be concerned about.
To encourage wax building, then your syrup feed should be thin. (unlike an Autumn feed to create stores, which would be thick. )
Your thin feed will also encourage the queen to lay at a greater rate.
Thin syrup would be 1kg bag of sugar to 1 litre water.

 

[B+.]

I've added a few photos and would really appreciate anyone commenting on what they see. Especially looking at the large domed cells on the right hand edge of the photo number ending in 07.

The raised cells are drone brood.

 

[Jonny901]

Thanks for the comments. They have been helpful. I've swapped my syrup for a thinner one (It was 1kg in 500ml) but now I've done 1:1. Would they need more space already? They've only got drawn out the 5 frames they came on and then started on that one frame.

 

[Millet]

Thanks for the comments. They have been helpful. I've swapped my syrup for a thinner one (It was 1kg in 500ml) but now I've done 1:1. Would they need more space already? They've only got drawn out the 5 frames they came on and then started on that one frame.

I can only see 4 pictures and all look good to my inexperienced head.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Thanks for the comments. They have been helpful. I've swapped my syrup for a thinner one (It was 1kg in 500ml) but now I've done 1:1. Would they need more space already? They've only got drawn out the 5 frames they came on and then started on that one frame.

From the pictures it doesn't look as if they've got space to either store food or for the queen to lay, which is one reason why you need to keep a careful eye out for queen cells.

Once they've drawn more comb, which the light syrup should help, the colony will be able to expand sideways as well as having space to store food.

You're in Manchester, would you be anywhere near the group mentioned here?
http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=36749

 

[dn170221]

The picture ending on 07 shows capped drone cells.

Make sure you have a valid reason to feed. If they are short of food then yes feed. At this time of year if they can get out to forage then they can bring in their own resources to draw comb.

If you feed when it is not necessary they might just store it in the frames which reduces the space for the queen to lay and may accelerate swarm preparations.

If you are of the opinion that feeding a light syrup is OK to speed up the queens rate of lay then bear in mind that this too will accelerate the growth of the colony. I would suggest that letting things go at their natural pace might be better as it would give you more time to ease yourself in!!

Good luck and have fun!!