first of the year

[village girl]

!oxalic acid done yay first job of the bee year done
And first sting of the year oh dear

 

[Sir Quej]

Doing mine this weekend. My first ever oa treatment......

 

[TOBY-3652]

Did 12 of mine with the help of a friend today 4 more to do when i can get some more oxalic. All went well and all alive 2 a bit smaller than i hoped. Iff they get through they do

 

[the beehive lodge]

!oxalic acid done yay first job of the bee year done
And first sting of the year oh dear

and counting

 

[psafloyd]

My last sting of the year was just before Christmas about an inch from the cods.

Helping a local guy do OA whose VERY active colony is on a hive where you have to inspect OVER the entrance.

No, not an ideal day to do his one (the other eight we did that morning were all tightly wrapped up), but what can you do, someone else needed the OA after him and he didn't know what he was doing.

 

[PBee]

My last sting of the year was just before Christmas about an inch from the cods.

Helping a local guy do OA whose VERY active colony is on a hive where you have to inspect OVER the entrance.

No, not an ideal day to do his one (the other eight we did that morning were all tightly wrapped up), but what can you do, someone else needed the OA after him and he didn't know what he was doing.

Result Pink Floyd ...... as he presents at local A&E ......

Assuming I am translating correctly.

 

[nonstandard]

My last sting of the year was just before Christmas about an inch from the cods.

Helping a local guy do OA whose VERY active colony is on a hive where you have to inspect OVER the entrance.

My concern would be an inch in which direction!!!!

 

[PBee]

My concern would be an inch in which direction!!!!

A miss is as good as a mile but wearing trousers is a good idea whilst beekeeping no matter how docile the bee.

 

[Sir Quej]

Thats it. Done my OA treatment today and am really chuffed. Being a first year beek, I have worried all winter since my last inspection, about finding empty hives when I came to do the treatments but I neednt have worried.

All three colonies look pretty strong with 8 or 9 seams of bees each.

They have each had a block of fondant on over the winter and look to have eaten that instead of thier stores as each hive is heavy with stores and all most of the fondant has gone.

Infact, I'm pretty sure that one of my colonies (that I was bit worried about) is stronger now than it was when I shut them up for winter.

I came away feeling really happy. I know there is a way to go to get winter over and done with but i'm feeling really good at the moment....

I would like to say a MASSIVE thanks to everyone on here that has given me great advice and help as I'm certain I wouldnt have been able to get this far without it.

Roll on spring, I cant wait to get into the bees again.....

 

[enrico]

Good point sir q . If you are a new beekeeper please don't be tempted to go in just for a look however mild it is!!!
E

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

I'm pretty sure that one of my colonies (that I was bit worried about) is stronger now than it was when I shut them up for winter.

Same thing happened to me: the Cathedral hive, which was a nuc I got mid-July, seemed bigger when I OA'd it last week, than when I inspected them last in early October.

Any of the more experienced Forum members have an opinion?


Dusty

 

[smithhive]

Same thing happened to me: the Cathedral hive, which was a nuc I got mid-July, seemed bigger when I OA'd it last week, than when I inspected them last in early October.

Any of the more experienced Forum members have an opinion?


Dusty

Could be a temperature issue. Warmer weather and the cluster expands. Look in during colder weather and you may see a colony "apparently" half the size.

 

[oliver90owner]

Any of the more experienced Forum members have an opinion?

Winter bees still to emerge in October? As Smithive, too? Imagination? Poor Memory?

 

[Luminos]

Divine intervention?