Itching to get started?

[greatbritishhoney]

Is anyone else wishing the days away so that we can get started with a good full inspection?
With the Welsh climate our bees are nowhere near ready for any intrusion but I guess it must vary greatly across the country.
What are the signs you look for to know that it's the right time to start cracking open the hive?

 

[BKF Admin]

I always say,when its warm enough to weir a T-shirt without a coat then its warm enough to open up the bees..

 

[george]

Agree totally with that Mark . Mind you there are one or two Newcastle United supporters who would open up in the snow !

 

[Erichalfbee]

Warm sunny day,15˚,end of March here in Cumbria.
I'll ask what the rest of my BKA are doing as this will be my first spring.
My marker pens came from Amazon so I practised on a few dead bees

 

[madasafish]

I always say,when its warm enough to weir a T-shirt without a coat then its warm enough to open up the bees

So June then?

 

[Poly Hive]

That would be never in my book.

The first balmy feeling day. And no not had one yet.

PH

 

[Skyhook]

After my previous misdemeanour- about a month after I first think!

 

[johnandyrob]

Agree totally with that Mark . Mind you there are one or two Newcastle United supporters who would open up in the snow !

I used to go to the Newcastle matches in the middle of winter in just a t- shirt but I moved to Lincoln for six years and haven't adapted back to the climate up here even after eight years. I wont be thinking about opening my hives up till late march or early April obviously that is temperature dependant. Regards Andrew

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

I always say,when its warm enough to weir a T-shirt without a coat then its warm enough to open up the bees..

We have to take them on holiday???

 

[drstitson]

"I always say,when its warm enough to wear a T-shirt without a coat"

damn - missed the opportunity - we had barmy 20C (and foot deep snow) a fortnight ago when i put first patties on.

 

[grizzly]

15 degrees +

 

[nonstandard]

There's an article in our local rag today about the benefits of home education (I have my views!) the son of the featured family obviously keeps bees as he is pictured without a veil and with the crown board off looking down on a cluster of bees on the top bars. I'm assuming the photo was taken this week as the bees are clustered together and not a flying bee in sight.

Home 'education'? surely all he had to do for a photo was don his beesuit, light a smoker and stand by a hive and not put a colony at risk.

 

[Queens59]

When a name I trust on here says...'I looked at the bees today' or 'first inspection of the year...' get the idea??

 

[Bad Boy Bee]

I will see many posts that refer to 'first inspection' long, long before I inspect my bees.

 

[Vergilius]

After my previous misdemeanour- about a month after I first think!

Pray tell Skyhook... Did you open them for an "early one" in January or the like???!!!


Ben P

 

[oliver90owner]

'I looked at the bees today'

That, at this time of the year is quite true - but from a distance.

My first inspection (unless needed for something more urgent) will be done when appropriate. No dates, not necessarily the first warm day.

So 'appropriateness' rather than 'first opportunity'. I will be in no rush and will plan first, and actually do it when the conditions are right. If the conditions are not right, waiting a few more days is not the end of the world.

Regards, RAB

 

[Tom Bick]

There's an article in our local rag today about the benefits of home education (I have my views!) the son of the featured family obviously keeps bees as he is pictured without a veil and with the crown board off looking down on a cluster of bees on the top bars. I'm assuming the photo was taken this week as the bees are clustered together and not a flying bee in sight.

Home 'education'? surely all he had to do for a photo was don his beesuit, light a smoker and stand by a hive and not put a colony at risk.

Plenty of people open the hive without removing any frames end of Dec early Jan and celebrate doing so.

 

[peterbees]

One old recommendation is to do the first inspection when the flowering currants are in flower.

 

[greatbritishhoney]

One old recommendation is to do the first inspection when the flowering currants are in flower.

I like that one Peter - I'm minded to think that natural cues like that can be better than simply considering the temperature on one particular day, although I guess it makes no odds to the bees!