Mad Mad..

[Millet]

Have we all lost the plot..we have two/ three days of good weather and everyone is busting to destroy there colonies by pulling them to bits for no reason ...
Me i will leave well alone till the weather is nice.

 

[simonforeman]

I'm busting to get in but am following advice I am reading to stay out.... today has been a warm day here... 1 hive the bees have been queuing up to get in and out with lots of different pollen... the other was allot slower but some pollen going in....

When we get a continuous warm spell will this be the time to inspect and add the QE ?

 

[Brigsy]

Me 3

 

[maddydog]

When we get a continuous warm spell will this be the time to inspect and add the QE ?

Doesn't need to be a continuous warm spell, just a warm day that's not going to followed by cold days and nights.
At the first proper inspection you make a call as to whether the colony needs supering.

 

[Eyeman]

Dont' folks look for guides from nature?
My guide for first inspection is 2 weeks after the local pussy willow flowers or 3 weeks after our local pipestrelle bat starts flying.

 

[JWF]

Dont' folks look for guides from nature?
My guide for first inspection is 2 weeks after the local pussy willow flowers or 3 weeks after our local pipestrelle bat starts flying.

I just wait until it's warm enough

 

[Erichalfbee]

Me too. Wait till the bees are flying properly and the weather is forecast warm for a few days. Mid April usually for me.

 

[Poly Hive]

The flowering currant is a good guide and mine is thinking about popping into flower but hasn't had the warmth to do so....... bit of a hint there really.

My hives are undisturbed as there is a frost on the ground this morning and yesterday a distinct nip in the air.

Do what you will but do think are you doing it for the bees or for your wee ego?

PH

 

[enrico]

Bit of a presumption that we are ripping the hives apart. I HAVE opened mine and checked enough frames to find brood and food. I can now rest easy until the regular inspection season. Better than feeding them fondant for no reason and missing the opportunity to plan ahead if there is a duff queen......but.....the weather was plenty warm enough here to do those checks so it wouldn't be right for everyone!!!
E

 

[Zante]

Well... I suppose it is quite warmer here being this further south, and still my very first inspection was a quick one the day before yesterday, mostly to check I still had a colony, and I didn't even get to see brood or queen.

 

[SWEET]

Agreed , full inspection ( pulling hive to bits ) mid April (ish).


It must have been -2 when i opened the hive for OA treatment in early Jan and seems to have had zero effect on the bees , Hamilton mentions this is The Art of Beekeeping and actually starts his inspections mid Feb.


All location dependant i guess , 100's of bumble bees covering the willow around here

 

[Eyeman]

Agreed , full inspection ( pulling hive to bits ) mid April (ish).


It must have been -2 when i opened the hive for OA treatment in early Jan and seems to have had zero effect on the bees , Hamilton mentions this is The Art of Beekeeping and actually starts his inspections mid Feb.


All location dependant i guess , 100's of bumble bees covering the willow around here

Last year first full inspection 31st March, that was too late for some hives which were bursting at the seams with queen needing more space and hives needing an extra super. So all depends on your location, the season, and your type of bees.

 

[fatshark]

Flowering currants can be a bit misleading ... there are some here (Fife) that are regularly in flower in early/mid March (pic from the 15th this year) ...

I think there's a lot of strain variability.

 

[Firefly]

Just looked at last year's records: did my first inspection on 4 March and the rape was in flower by 30 March (Ha!). Bees flying freely for a couple of hours yesterday, though it was cold enough for jumpers and coats (me, not the bees), even while working. Today was forecast full sun, but it has not happened and the air is nippy; I don't think there will be another chance until mid-Apr now. I can find about 3 currant flowers on the bush in the warmest corner

 

[Eyeman]

Bit of a presumption that we are ripping the hives apart. I HAVE opened mine and checked enough frames to find brood and food. I can now rest easy until the regular inspection season. Better than feeding them fondant for no reason and missing the opportunity to plan ahead if there is a duff queen......but.....the weather was plenty warm enough here to do those checks so it wouldn't be right for everyone!!!
E

Still weighing mine every 2 -3 weeks, checking the insert tray to make sure all is well inside. No need to open unless need feeding or no or little debris on tray.

 

[SWEET]

Last year first full inspection 31st March, that was too late for some hives which were bursting at the seams with queen needing more space and hives needing an extra super. So all depends on your location, the season, and your type of bees.

Sounds about right as it was another record March ( 5th in row ) regards temp , I meant this year for me but only as I checked them last week ( not too invasive tho ) and they have a super for extra space , it was actually colder in August last year than the past week here to add to the mix .

Its certainly tricky to time .

 

[madasafish]

Have we all lost the plot..we have two/ three days of good weather and everyone is busting to destroy there colonies by pulling them to bits for no reason ...
Me i will leave well alone till the weather is nice.

Thanks for starting a thread telling me I'm mad... you know that already from my name


I started inspections last year 8th April (I decided to keep a proper diary of key events...) . I expect some time around then this year..Won't be T shirt weather - that's June - in a good year..

Pulled apart the lower brood of a double brood yesterday and placed in a new box - but that took at least 2 minutes or so in sun with minimal wind - did not bother looking as queen was in upper box. Bees just sat and looked at us - well behaved..

 

[beeno]

Still weighing mine every 2 -3 weeks, checking the insert tray to make sure all is well inside. No need to open unless need feeding or no or little debris on tray.

Hi Eyeman,
... no debris on the tray happened to one of mine, when all my other colonies were in full swing. Opened up expecting the worst and found wonderful white combs of stores and went to the first brood comb and found worker brood. I am glad I did it because I could stop the fondant and get rid of the bottom brood box to go on another colony in due course. These guys were just 3 weeks behind. A late supersedure, that went wrong so they were -Q for a while thereof the set back in spring build up I guess. Flying well now though.
Today, I am not doing anything bar opening up the reduced entrance. It is going to be a frantic foraging day and I don't want to disturb them. The poor little things have been collecting water at 9 degrees!
Have fun everyone!

 

[Millet]

The flowering currant is a good guide and mine is thinking about popping into flower but hasn't had the warmth to do so....... bit of a hint there really.

My hives are undisturbed as there is a frost on the ground this morning and yesterday a distinct nip in the air.

Do what you will but do think are you doing it for the bees or for your wee ego?

PH

It was the same here a nice white crisp morning until the sun appeared, still cold though.

 

[Wingy]

I'm resisting going in for now as I may find something I'm not going to like. This week I found 2 greater wax moth larvae on the inspection board so 1 of 2 things when I go in.
1. Bees have dealt with it and not much damage or
2. It's a bloody mess and I'll be looking at dumping frames and transfer all to new frames / foundation and new hive. Something I can't do until we have a flow on & weather isn't going to chill again. So for now sit tight and wait, lots of new bees flying out, all look healthy and colony appears to be expanding quickly, good enough for now