i noticed someone doing their first inspection today

[beeno]

It's always a relief when a local beekeeper reports a situation similar to mine. I purchased and fed the same quantity of invert as previous years and avoided taking off honey after early August. I've only needed occasional fondant hitherto but this year had to panic-buy fondant from your good self!

Well, we did have a very warm autumn in my neck of the woods at least which meant that they were brooding later in the season and gobbling up stores. I fed more than last year. They topped up with lots of ivy too in my case which I can smell on occasions in passing the hives!

 

[beeno]

Way too early but becoming the fashion sadly, must be so confusing for beginners. The temps being 15 or more means it's ok, yet they were minus temps just the other day and we could easily get a freezing blast again before March is out.

I always check the nite temps if a do an early inspection as I did the other day and we have had between 9-11°C which is very warm for this time of the year! But the cold nites are back again. No doubt some colonies will be caught out that have over-egged it.

 

[beeno]

Did light quick inspections on 6 full colonies, one double height nuc and 3 double height Abelo mating nucs. Varying strength here in Surrey, surprising thing was amount of Nectar they are bringing in at almost all colonies. As would expect couple of weak ones and some strong ones. Did not swap boxes out and feed liquid as gets very cold next week. But 15 degrees here, saw one queen supercedure as in new queen, but did not take out and mark as too cold for that with wind

It is most probably diluted honey stores you are looking at not nectar.

 

[Apple]

That suggests to me that BOB is not the culprit however unpopular he, his actions may be.

We shall never know.... out of the bush, into the collecting nuc and sold the same day possibly

 

[Erichalfbee]

We shall never know.... out of the bush, into the collecting nuc and sold the same day possibly

Stop it please.
We all know how you feel
You tell us ad nauseam

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

My bees were bringing in pollen yesterday (snowdrops?) which suggest there is brood or eggs somewhere.

Or maybe it suggests that there is pollen available to forage