My weekend

wightbees · Jun 20, 2010

I finished work early on friday so that i could make up 2 MD hives and 1 nuc (boxes) .
On sat i got 2 more nucs (with bees)of which i am very pleased with

I then went to the field where they are to be kept with my other hives and had to fight my way through the under growth with a set of shears :willy_nilly:

. I now have a nice footpath up to the field

Today i have also had my own version of Queen rearing, I have removed a capped QC from the hive and gentle added this to my empty nuc . I then shook off half the bees from a frame then shook the rest into the nuc of which they where flying everywhere. I then waited to they settled down had a check on them and there seems to be good little cluster over the QC.
They have some Sugar Syrup that i made up and poored into some empty comb and fitted into the nuc. This QC is about to open as i have kept a eye on it and must be due within the next 48hrs.
So lets hope all goes well.

The 2 nucs are placed in the field but are not hived (still in the nuc Box)
I will leave them for about 5 days then place them into there new homes.

RoseCottage · Jun 21, 2010

Sounds like you had a great weekend, there's something lovely about getting it right on a warm summer's day.
All I did (nothing compared to you) was put a test frame into my queenless hive and now have to wait and see. I struggle to see eggs in the sun but yesterday spotted eggs, moved queens, and shifted test frames. I left the site feeling a little more in control...even the girls were balmy.
Glad you had a lively time,
Sam

SixFooter · Jun 21, 2010

I opened up 3 colonies, a frame nuc and a mini nuc - all now with laying Qs Hurrah!
2 other colonies, still not laying and a drone-layer in another mini. 2 weeks ago none of them were laying, so on balance, not bad. I was greatly relieved. I may even get some honey later on! I've made a lot of mistakes, had a few swarms and worried too much this year, but I have learnt a tremendous amount!

Brian Bush · Jun 21, 2010

Glad you had a good weekend. I embarked on the first stage of queen rearing this week.Last Wednesday evening remove a frame from a most prolific queen and cut out a section and fitted a cupkit frame for the bees to get used to. Saw the marked queen on both occasions and keen for the weekend to come. Friday had a call from SWMBO to say a hive had swarmed. Collected these ond place in an out apiary on Friday. Then I began to fret that they had come from the breeding hive. I had chosen this queen because she was prolific and the bees were well behaved ladeees. Sunday my colleague came round and we opened the hive. Joy Oh Joy there was my lovely girl. Caught her easily and placed her in the laying cage. I will release her tonight. The swarm must have come from somewhere else as they don't appear to be fom my hives. I felt really good about my progress and Sunday's work. Now I am fretting that the queen has not layed/the eggs will not hatch/the queenless Nuc will not raise the queens etc etc .I am pleased others had a good weekend as well!!

margob99 · Jun 21, 2010

I know the weekend is over, but just had to post and say I've just done a great inspection; finally after 4 weeks of cowering from the stingiest grumpiest bees I've ever encountered, I gathered my nerve and went to do a comprehensive inspection. I am so relieved.

While I was a bit jittery with the big hive, and they were still somewhat defensive, they appear queen-right; still early days as she is only very recently mated. The smaller hive, the swarm with the old queen, have gone back to their lovely amiable selves and were a pleasure to inspect, although it was a bit of a jolt to find a sealed QC in there.

In each hive, I removed all but one QC (apart from the one sealed cell, they're all empty play cups anyway) in each hive, and closed up, absolutely bathed in a pool of sweat. As a parting shot, hive no 1 stung me once (in the groin, no less). I consider myself to have got off lightly!

The white clover is out all over the gardens, and at last, AT LAST, it looks like summer is here!!

wightbees · Jun 21, 2010

I struggle with finding (seeing) eggs as well rosecottage so i bought a loupe. Just not used it yet, maybe at the weekend.
I can't wait to see if my new Q are hatched and getting on ok, hope so.
I'm also hoping for a little honey sixfooter, but we'll see.
With 20 hives you must be busy Brian Bush, has this gone from hobby to side line or still hobby?
With a hot week forcast it must be good for the bees