Hive inspection Vs Poor weather

[angeJ]

It's now 8 days since my last inspection and the weather is no better than yesterday,and so few bees are likely to be flying. I presume I still have to inspect but just try to be as quick as possible and to expect a lot of bees to be 'home'? I'm not on a high alert for swarming as the colony was only small and it had plenty of room to expand last week.

 

[Apple]

7 day inspection for next 6 weeks at least?
Bees stuck at home will find plenty of time to cause mischief, and IF they do swarm you will be left with an even smaller colony.
Get in there between the showers!
Good luck

James

 

[Davelin]

Quick scan round sides and bottom of frames for queen cells between the showers.

 

[angeJ]

Thank you

 

[Jimmy]

7 day inspection for next 6 weeks at least?
Bees stuck at home will find plenty of time to cause mischief, and IF they do swarm you will be left with an even smaller colony.
Get in there between the showers!
Good luck

James

. The swarm committee sits when the bees are trapped in all day.

 

[JamezF]

Have similar issues myself. Went around the hives last weekend and tilted up the brood chambers to check for queen cells around the bottom bars, but it's cold and the weather is utterly unpredictable. Doesn't make for pleasant inspections. I'll try to do a proper job when the weather is better but there's precious little hope in the forecast.

I have three hives I need to sort out the stands for as they've sunk into the wet ground over the winter. I can't do that without splitting the hives. Did one earlier this week in a brief sunny spell, but it was quite clear that I was not welcome

James

 

[Swarm]

Yes, all the conditions that are described as not ideal for inspections, when you attend the beginners class are the very conditions you find yourself inspecting in.

 

[Pendragon]

Yes, all the conditions that are described as not ideal for inspections, when you attend the beginners class are the very conditions you find yourself inspecting in.

So true!
I am thankful for the hour by hour weather forecasting online - I have found it useful to pick the best hour of a bad bunch, to go for an inspection on a non-perfect day.

 

[Ely]

I've just had a very quick check for swarm cells myself in between showers. Mine were extremely grumpy because of the weather so make sure you are wearing plenty of protection and have a smoker lit

 

[madasafish]

Weather forecast is hot end of next week - so swarms will be in abundance..

 

[Gilberdyke John]

It's now 8 days since my last inspection and the weather is no better than yesterday,and so few bees are likely to be flying. I presume I still have to inspect but just try to be as quick as possible and to expect a lot of bees to be 'home'? I'm not on a high alert for swarming as the colony was only small and it had plenty of room to expand last week.

I am considering getting a fold down gazebo for just such days

 

[JamezF]

Weather forecast is hot end of next week - so swarms will be in abundance..

When they can get tomorrow's forecast right on a regular basis, then I might start paying attention to what they say about a week hence.

James

 

[einsteinagogo]

John do you have any URLs for the gazebo?

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[VEG]

John do you have any URLs for the gazebo?

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Loads on the bay

 

[einsteinagogo]

@Veg thanks I'll have a look....

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[VEG]

Never felt the need though to be honest

 

[Erichalfbee]

If an inspection is absolutely necessary it can be done very quickly.
Look for just what you need to find....or not find.

 

[enrico]

I am going to put the cat amongst the pigeons here! I inspect every seven days if the weather allows, I sometimes alter that to between 6 and 10 days if the weather is likely to be better within that timespan but...... If the weather is crap I leave them to it! I have found that bees rarely swarm when the weather is terrible, cold or windy, in fact they swarm more on hot humid days. If I lose the odd swarm as a result of this lack of inspection then I usually get it back although not always. I will always go straight into the swarmed hive and sort out queen cells to try and stop casts and am usually successful.
I find that bees will often tear down queen cells if the weather is useless for swarming. They seem to know best to me! If I go in on bad days it makes them cross for ages afterwards and I don't need that. I don't keep bees for a living just for 'enough' honey so the rigid seven day rule isn't that important to me.
It's up to you but I like happy bees and if that means the odd swarm then hey who Am I to argue.
Each to their own!!!
E

 

[JamezF]

The weather here is very mixed today. Plenty of cloud and fierce winds. Lovely and warm if you're in the sun out of the wind, very cold if you're not.

I have one hive where the bees have found a hole in the join between two sides of the brood chamber. No big deal, but it is causing a lot of congestion as the bees try to get back into the hive. I decided therefore to rotate the hive and lift it so the main entrance is where the hole would have been. Tonight I'll block up the hole and hopefully that will sort them out. What an evil mood they were in! Just moving the hive was a very unpleasant experience.

It's not just that colony, either. Normally I have no issue with being near the hives in mufti, as long as I keep out of the bees' flight paths. Today they were making me unwelcome as soon as I got within five yards of a hive, so I beat a hasty retreat.

James

 

[enrico]

James, a bit of gaffer tape over the hole and they would soon have found the front entrance again! But .... Yes they don't like the wind at all!
E