First Inspection

[JazzJPH]

Hi guys, another "First Inspection" thread, sorry

Yesterday's inspection at the association apiary has helped me a lot, especially with keeping my cool when surrounded by testy, queenless bees. I feel like I've learned to trust my jacket & veil as well as the marigolds and nitrile glove combo.

Last Friday, around 7pm was when I transferred a nuc to full national brood box.

Today is forecast to be sunshine all the way through to evening, but it's only been 6 days.

Tomorrow and Saturday are days 7 & 8, but are forecast to be sunny/cloudy in our area.

I've read that cloudy days aren't good for inspections, so which is more important - the time between inspections or the quality of the weather?

 

[Anduril]

Hi guys, another "First Inspection" thread, sorry

Yesterday's inspection at the association apiary has helped me a lot, especially with keeping my cool when surrounded by testy, queenless bees. I feel like I've learned to trust my jacket & veil as well as the marigolds and nitrile glove combo.

Last Friday, around 7pm was when I transferred a nuc to full national brood box.

Today is forecast to be sunshine all the way through to evening, but it's only been 6 days.

Tomorrow and Saturday are days 7 & 8, but are forecast to be sunny/cloudy in our area.

I've read that cloudy days aren't good for inspections, so which is more important - the time between inspections or the quality of the weather?

Manipulations that are time sensitive come before the weather.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

sunny/cloudy is ideal inspection weather, both for bees and beekeepers.
If we all waite3d for perfect weather for each inspection we'd never open a hive

 

[Adam Bee]

Good luck! Take some photos if you can.

 

[JazzJPH]

The First Inspection

Hi everyone,

So I have just carried out my first inspection. Summary (thanks Beefriendly) below:
1. Reason for inspection - 7 day inspection, check for BIAS, signs of queen, if they have made progress (drawn any of the 5 frames of foundation)
2. Queen seen - marked red as expected.
3. Eggs yes
4. Number of frames with brood - 6
5. Queen cells. Yes - one
6 Stores (i.e plenty of pollen and honey). Loads of honey
7. Weather - Sun/clouds, gentle breeze
8.Temper (often find temper correlates with weather to some extent). 4/5 could be better
9. Comments. Some darted at my hands but only saw one angry bee with her stinger out - not sure where she stung..


For full inspection images please see this folder on my OneDrive - https://1drv.ms/f/s!Av81dIXQWFUjnAspnVPw0vMTAUas


I'll try and embed them in another post later, we're just about to pop out.

I took off the 1:1 syrup because 9/11 frames were fully drawn, covered in bees, the other two were almost there. They have plenty of stores.
I also put on a super full of frames with foundation.

Questions:
1. How did I do?
2. Was the super move a good one?
3. Queen cell - only one. What do I do with it?
4. Any other comments?

 

[Beefriendly]

3. Queen cell - only one. What do I do with it?

Sounds like you did fine.
I'd be tempted to KO a single queen cell . You sometimes get an occasional one thrown up for no real reason......then check again after 5 or 6 days to see if there are any more. If so then you need to take action....remember it was suggested a second hive was a good idea ...If none breath sigh of relief.
Adding a super =room is always a good idea when weather is warm....but your bee population is not great (yet)...when you struggle to see the frame for the bees....that's the time to add a super (or three).

 

[JazzJPH]

Sounds like you did fine.
I'd be tempted to KO a single queen cell . You sometimes get an occasional one thrown up for no real reason......then check again after 5 or 6 days to see if there are any more. If so then you need to take action....remember it was suggested a second hive was a good idea ...If none breath sigh of relief.
Adding a super =room is always a good idea when weather is warm....but your bee population is not great (yet)...when you struggle to see the frame for the bees....that's the time to add a super (or three).

Thanks mate. So I can go back, take down the QC, remove the super and leave them to it?
I've already tipped out the syrup. To me it seems like they've got more than enough stores. Is that good enough?

 

[Millet]

I would not have fed them in the first place but what is done is done..
Are they Queen cells or play cups with nothing inside..
Super wise put one on ( not take it of) ..

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Often there are play cups... Look like the start of qcs... not sure you need a super a week after adding the nuc

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

with only six frames of bees and not all the foundation drawn out I would have hesitated to add a super.

 

[JazzJPH]

QC was capped. Only one, at the bottom of one of the middle frames, covered with bees.

So plan tomorrow will be to take super off, take down QC, lock them up and leave for a week?

Looking at the brood pattern - is she sub-par?

Here's the pic of the QC:

 

[Adam Bee]

Wow! Great pics.

That does look like a Q-cell.

All the capped brood and the Q-cell are fairly dark. My new capped brood are fairly light and it’s the capped brood from the original nuc frames that are dark like yours. Makes me wonder if the cappings darken with age or take their comic fro the underlying comb.

It make me wonder if that cellmcome with your nuc, by was missed on installation. Did you get a chance to fully inspect th nuc when you picks it up? I can’t remember that part of the story.

 

[JazzJPH]

Wow! Great pics.

That does look like a Q-cell.

All the capped brood and the Q-cell are fairly dark. My new capped brood are fairly light and it’s the capped brood from the original nuc frames that are dark like yours. Makes me wonder if the cappings darken with age or take their comic fro the underlying comb.

It make me wonder if that cellmcome with your nuc, by was missed on installation. Did you get a chance to fully inspect th nuc when you picks it up? I can’t remember that part of the story.

Unfortunately I didn't inspect the frames when I transferred the nuc. My wife took a video of the transfer but it's unclear what is happening in that QC area.
I have noticed that the video showed little capped brood on that frame and this week there's a lot more so there's a positive there.

When I get on my laptop ill embed all the other inspection images, but here's the overall snap:

 

[Adam Bee]

I want you to know that you’ve now gotten me all paranoid about the two frames I didn’t inspect on Thur.! I’ll come home on Mon. to find a note from HM to say “Gone Fishing, will write soon, don’t wait up.”!

 

[Millet]

That sure is a Queen cell Jazz..if you have not knocked it down do it asap and hope they do not make more..

 

[JazzJPH]

So today I did the following:
1. Took down sealed QC and 2 other cups. None had anything in. Completely empty.
2. Took off super - will let them grow stronger first.
3. Found they'd capped more stores. Shouldn't go hungry for a long time

In five days I'll return, as advised. Thanks guys!

 

[Swarm]

What was in the sealed QC, nothing?

 

[JazzJPH]

What was in the sealed QC, nothing?

Not a thing, completely empty. What does it mean?

 

[Beefriendly]

Not a thing, completely empty. What does it mean?

It's just bees beeing bees....they can drive you mad with all the things they do that they are not supposed to do.
It probably means they are not going to swarm....for the time being.

 

[JazzJPH]

It's just bees beeing bees....they can drive you mad with all the things they do that they are not supposed to do.
It probably means they are not going to swarm....for the time being.

Well that's possibly a relief - I wouldn't have much left if they did

Thanks for the guidance - that goes for everyone who has replied in this thread.