First Inspection

[Nbw]

Hi all.
When are people planning on their first inspection of the year?
Having checked throughout the year and topping up fondant, i lost one of my 2 hives.

Just conscious i don't want to cause any undue upset to my last hive.

Cheers

 

[Swarm]

What's it like in Essex? It's constant rain and rarely got above twelve degrees here in South Wales.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

whenever the weather improves and settles, and when the bees tell me it's time.
It will definitely be after the Welsh convention - again!

 

[Nbw]

What's it like in Essex? It's constant rain and rarely got above twelve degrees here in South Wales.

Its wet, still sitting around 10-12 degrees at the moment. Sunny patches today but not very warm. I suppose thats my answer! Cheers

 

[Mint Bee]

warm today in the sun for a couple of hours a bit further south - car measured 17C, but I don't believe that air temperature. It then rained . Bees flying in the sun and gathering orange/yellow pollen when I checked, but I resisted urge to crack the crown boards just yet. In previous seasons, with a warm spring, I've already gone around the hives by now for first inspections; a few years ago it was nearly mid April. ignore other who boast about early inspections locally and let the weather rather than the calendar be your guide

Just keep a eye on hive weight for the time being as I don't expect there will be an opportunity to inspect for at least another week with current weather forecast and bees will be flying less with the rain and lower temperature, so eating stores

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hi all.
When are people planning on their first inspection of the year?
Having checked throughout the year and topping up fondant, i lost one of my 2 hives.

Just conscious i don't want to cause any undue upset to my last hive.

Cheers

When the bees have been flying for a few days and the weather is set fair for a while has always worked for me. March 25 last year but that was exceptional. April 12 the year before.

 

[ericbeaumont]

planning on their first inspection of the year?

What's it like in Essex?

Essex stretches from London to the North Sea and has too great a variety of weathers to be of use. Where are you in Essex, Nbw?

At the London end it was warm today, probably 15C, and all bees were flying; plenty of cherry, V.tinus, dandelion and pear in flower, and willow budding.

Before you follow the crowd, ask yourself what you hope to achieve by opening now: if the colony is queenless, you cannot unite the remains to another, and if the current queen is dud, you cannot yet buy a queen to replace her.

If the colony is foraging well and weight was decent when you hefted, then consider whether it is still necessary to feed fondant. Excessive stores will fill brood combs and limit laying space, and that is one surefire way to stimulate swarming further down the road.

Five reasons to open a colony, though written by Ted Hooper more than 50 years ago, hold good today. Use them as a basic guide, adapt timing to your weather and forage, and don't follow the herd in a far-away field.

http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/hoopersfive.html
https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Se...hooper&sts=t&cm_sp=SearchF-_-topnav-_-Results

 

[fian]

Is the swarming season already beginning since the bees decided not to miss the Alcaraz-Zverev match?

 

[enrico]

When you can be outside in a T shirt and feel warm

 

[ericbeaumont]

swarming season already beginning

Doubt it very much, even if we have had swarms out earlier than this in the past. My intention was to warn Nwb of the risks of continual over-feeding of fondant, and to recognise foraged income.

If feeding continues without hefting and heeding income, Nwb will have to consider removing stores later to give brood space. In my part of Essex I'm supering quite a few, but Nwb may be on the bleak North Sea coast, and bees not so developed.

 

[Antipodes]

Is the swarming season already beginning since the bees decided not to miss the Alcaraz-Zverev match?

Another use for spider cam/bird cam

Anyone spot the queen?

 

[user 819]

For the less experienced or eager new apairist then it is best to wait a while yet , likely another 4 -6 weeks unless the weather breaks. The chill wind needs to drop and temps need to rise at least 5 - 6c for a more comfy outdoor feel.
The odd day when temps raise a little for a few hours isn't generally warm enough as they soon chill down late pm, generally one needs a settled 3- 4 days of brighter/sunnier weather hovering about 15c - 17c or T shirt weather.

My records show the following first & second insp dates for the last few years.
This is with my colonies on DB BS National so I can often let them be for a while longer.

• 2023; 09 Apr & 28 Apr.
• 2022; 02 May & 13 May.
• 2021; 30 Mar & 20 Apr.
• 2020; 07 Apr & 16 Apr.
• 2019; 15 Apr & 30 Apr.

Set up will also be a factor as once brood rearing gets going then a single BB can soon be brimming (if you know your Q's to be quite prolific) , typically single BS nationals then one may want to simply plonk on another BB early (end of March) just to give room.

If on a double brood or a jumbo size BB then the need isn't so critical, one does though need to aware of early nectar flows if the weather perks up and forage traffic increases intensely .

 

[user 819]

Last year was pretty exceptional weather wise quite early in spring , by early May flows were strong and I had 3 - 4 supers on colonies. One colony had been Demereed by early May and one had been AS'd, I had to give up the Demeree after a few weeks as they promptly back fille dwith nectar and the brood laying settled down for the year, SS eventually occurred in August with both Q's present going in to September.

One has to go by what he/she see's and how the weather dictates when inspections can start or at least the first cursory look to see how things inside are going.

 

[wightbees]

Really Depends on which part of the country you come from. But the main factor is Temperature. Normally for me it’s early April .

 

[thorn]

When you can be outside in a T shirt and feel warm

So any time between January and December if you were born and brought up in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

 

[Lolly Bee]

I’m going after Easter. Hopefully it will be warmer and drier. I fed with a small amount of fondant last week as things felt a little light in two hives. But at the moment just feeling grateful they’ve got through winter. Now to wait and find the queens …

 

[Vanterrier]

So any time between January and December if you were born and brought up in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

I resemble that remark

K

 

[Gilberdyke John]

So any time between January and December if you were born and brought up in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Having seen some of the nightlife wandering between venues in Hull on a cold winter night, many wear much less than a tee shirt. (Chapel hat pegs anyone?)

 

[Vanterrier]

Never dull in 'Ull.

But of course Ull is well south of here and being south of Scotch Corner is considered to be firmly in Europe

K

 

[Nottmnewbee]

I did mine yesterday, the car told me it was 17 degrees, the girls were out flying and I’d recently moved them to my new house so thought I’d go in!! They looked great and I’m v pleased I got to see them!!