Have an issue, grateful for advice.

[Jonnyl]

I need some help on a hive I checked this morning. After taking the roof off I looked through the poly CB and saw the bees munching the fondant, 6kg given in december after vaping finished. Rammed. Bees on nine seams, 14x12. I'm concerned that at this rate they might swarm before I can do an inspection? I'm in scotland, 10 deg, and don't check until April normally but I'm unsure if this situation requires action sooner. Can anyone help please? TIA.

 

[Ian123]

Sounds like there in great shape why are you worried. They won’t swarm next week leave them alone! As for the timing of inspections it’s pointless worrying about dates. Just do it when the weather allows if March turned into a heatwave you wouldn’t sit there saying “well I only inspect in April”

 

[pargyle]

I need some help on a hive I checked this morning. After taking the roof off I looked through the poly CB and saw the bees munching the fondant, 6kg given in december after vaping finished. Rammed. Bees on nine seams, 14x12. I'm concerned that at this rate they might swarm before I can do an inspection? I'm in scotland, 10 deg, and don't check until April normally but I'm unsure if this situation requires action sooner. Can anyone help please? TIA.

What looks like nine seams of bees through the crownboard may not be as rammed as you think ... 10 degrees and they are taking fondant down - I'd expect lots of bees at the top of the frames ... peek in again through the crownboard at midnight with a torch when it's dropped to about 4 degrees (as it did here last night - probably less where you are) and you will probably find them down to three or four seams. Still nothing to worry about - sounds like a good colony to me. Relax ... as above ... give them a chance to get going - bees are not stupid they won't make swarm preps when there are no drones about.

 

[Jonnyl]

Sounds like there in great shape why are you worried. They won’t swarm next week leave them alone! As for the timing of inspections it’s pointless worrying about dates. Just do it when the weather allows if March turned into a heatwave you wouldn’t sit there saying “well I only inspect in April”

100%. And it's a pleasing worry if you know what I mean however, we're all very well aware our weather is very unpredictable, even more so here and if they continue to grow at this rate before its warm enough I will have a problem which I want to plan for. Be gutted to lose them before i can take action.

 

[Jonnyl]

What looks like nine seams of bees through the crownboard may not be as rammed as you think ... 10 degrees and they are taking fondant down - I'd expect lots of bees at the top of the frames ... peek in again through the crownboard at midnight with a torch when it's dropped to about 4 degrees (as it did here last night - probably less where you are) and you will probably find them down to three or four seams. Still nothing to worry about - sounds like a good colony to me. Relax ... as above ... give them a chance to get going - bees are not stupid they won't make swarm preps when there are no drones about.

Of course, no drones. Why didnt I think of that. Thanks Pargyle. I panicked.

 

[Ian123]

100%. And it's a pleasing worry if you know what I mean however, we're all very well aware our weather is very unpredictable, even more so here and if they continue to grow at this rate before its warm enough I will have a problem which I want to plan for. Be gutted to lose them before i can take action.

In terms of swarming bees won’t make there mind up over night, if the weather improved enough for them to start even thinking about it you will have had a chance to inspect.

 

[pargyle]

Of course, no drones. Why didnt I think of that. Thanks Pargyle. I panicked.

Haha ... they will probably swarm next week just to show me how unpredictable the little sods are - unlikely though.

 

[Ian123]

Of course, no drones. Why didnt I think of that. Thanks Pargyle. I panicked.

Some colonies already have new season laid and capped drone cells just FYI.

 

[Jonnyl]

In terms of swarming bees won’t make there mind up over night, if the weather improved enough for them to start even thinking about it you will have had a chance to inspect.

Was actually quite daunted by it Ian. I've never seen so many bees so early and it was going like a circus at the entrance battering in the pollen. Its good but at the same time which is why I got a little perturbed but Pargyle pointed out the drone case and that's the fact of the matter. Thank you both.

 

[Boston Bees]

Some colonies already have new season laid and capped drone cells just FYI.

Really? You have seen these? That's interesting, thanks. You are in Surrey though I guess - bit different to Scotland.

JonnyL: I would be prepared to bet at least £1.50 that if you could put an endoscope camera in the hive entrance you would see no activity whatsoever - totally empty cells - on the lower portion of the frames. I recommend getting one by the way - can resolve these worries quite quickly, as well a checking for mice! Though there are no doubt much cheaper ways of doing this, as others will no doubt point out.

 

[Jonnyl]

Some colonies already have new season laid and capped drone cells just FYI.

Yes perhaps, that's part of my worry but I'll simply have to keep looking in every few days, even if just to top up fondant perhaps. I wont open them till its warm enough though or I see my first drones or both. It's still sub zero here at night.

 

[Ian123]

John you’ll be fine if we get some decent weather in March then do your inspection as normal. Looking back over the years there’s the the odd swarm late March but there an exception. There’s likely to be plenty of laying space enjoy the peace before the hard work starts. As to drones yes there’s already drone brood in some and common to see young drones in March inspections, not many of course but they are in some. I inspected some last weekend. Over many years I’ve looked into hives overwinter when weather permits. I can then judge when they are brood less or queens liable to have started laying. It does no harm or at least when I’ve done it

 

[Newbeeneil]

Some colonies already have new season laid and capped drone cells just FYI.

I saw a small patch in one of my hives with 11 frames of bees yesterday.

 

[Murox]

Hi Jonnyl, the weather has been a bit kinder over here but I have yet to see my lot actually flying. A couple "popped up to say hello" when I checked fondant and the on hive I have a poly crown on certainly looked very busy although they were not onto the fondant at all; just active in the hive.

 

[BigAshW]

Also remember that drones need to be produced first as they take time to mature. So even if there are a few capped it would be a while before they're sexually viable.

 

[pargyle]

Some colonies already have new season laid and capped drone cells just FYI.

Yes ... there's likely to be a few as the weather down here is much milder than Stirlingshire .. having spent a year working in Perth and commuting weekly by road it goes from sub zero and snow on the ground in parts of Scotland to a 15 degrees warm spring weekend down here on the South coast sometimes. You notice it most in spring and autumn when the trees are coming into leaf and losing their leaves..., 600 miles North to South relates to a few weeks in season changing terms.

Some of my colonies seem to carry a few drones through winter as well ... cross dressers ?

 

[Ian123]

Some of my colonies seem to carry a few drones through winter as well ... cross dressers ?

I had a large colony 1 year in the garden that had drones flying all winter. I expected to find a drone layer on my first inspection. What I did find was a patch of drone cells/brood on 1 frame slap bang in the centre of cluster area.

 

[thorn]

A lot of the bees you saw will be winter bees, approaching the end of their time.

 

[Jonnyl]

Hi Jonnyl, the weather has been a bit kinder over here but I have yet to see my lot actually flying. A couple "popped up to say hello" when I checked fondant and the on hive I have a poly crown on certainly looked very busy although they were not onto the fondant at all; just active in the hive.

Murox, I initially went out to the hive 'bare', its an out apiary, but when I saw them I had to go back to the car and get a hat I keep in the boot as my bottle went. . No exaggerating it was like mid summer. Good sign. Then I took the roof off and saw them, think I panicked a little hence my question but they looked in fine fettle. Drew the board out and both coloured cappings on the entrance half of the hive so they're up and running. Maybe the wind off the sea down by you is having a little effect but I assure you its coming your way sir. Cheers.

 

[Jonnyl]

A lot of the bees you saw will be winter bees, approaching the end of their time.

Yes, I expect so. No doubt. But the squadrons in the hive would not all be winter bees, just far, far too many. I presume the majority of flyers will have been winters? The old adage holds true, more bees make more bees. Cheers