Honey

[Charlie19]

I've been inspecting the hive every 10-14 days to keep an eye out for swarming. Just done so today. All looks well. A few queen cups but non with eggs. Queen is well and laying however there's a lot of drones. I'm assuming this is normal this time of year. I was hoping that a super of honey would be ready to extract by now but nothing yet. The hive has two supers, one nearly full and the other has reduced in honey content since I last inspected. the frames only contain honey on the outside. Similar to that seen in the brood box. I'm pretty sure the last time Inspected it all frames had honey just not all capped. Is it due to the terrible weather we've had this Month? Also I removed the entrance reducer on the last inspection. Not sure if this is a good idea or not

 

[Dishmop]

Been eating it....Its their larder..

 

[itma]

You should be inspecting more frequently than 10/14 days during this the swarm season.

Do you know how many days it is from starting a real Queen Cell to a swarm departing?


During the bad weather of the last week, the bees will have had need to consume some of their stores (that's what they collect them for) and also will have been working indoors on ripening honey - which is essentially concentrating it, so it takes up less space (as well as not fermenting, etc).
So its quite likely that after a few days of poor weather, you'll see "less" honey in the hive.

In some parts of the country (but not I think in London), there is considered to be a "June Gap" when there is less forage out there for the bees, and they will have to work hard even to keep their stores constant.

Whether or not the supers are full and capped, you need to be vigilant that the brood box does not get full of ripening nectar (uncapped honey). This reduces Q laying space and that in turn is a swarm trigger. Add more super space if you see this happening to the extent that the bees are 'backfilling' cells from which new bees have recently emerged.

Entrance size. The reduced size isn't standardised, so generalisation is pretty pointless. I try and leave reducers on, and only remove them if there is such a lot of activity that beepower is being seriously wasted in the doorway scrummage. Reduced entrances need less guarding, which leads to more-friendly bees - important in a garden.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You should be inspecting more frequently than 10/14 days during this the swarm season.