Our first Inspection by FERA

[Tremyfro]

Today we had our first inspection. Very thorough. All frames of brood boxes pulled out and shaken.
Hive 1 ....all was well, saw Q, eggs, BIAS and lots of bees and stores. Quite a lot of drones...mainly sitting on the outer frames. Took off a super of cleaned Honey frames. Fairly lively....as always .....ignored the smoker! We don't use much smoke with this hive usually as we find they don't respond....they fly around bit but otherwise are fine.
Hive 2 .....all was well. Didn't seen Q but eggs, BIAS, lots of bees and stores. Took off a super of cleaned honey frames. Also 3 capped frames for cut comb extraction.
The Nuc....all was well. Saw Q and gave her a green crown...very fetching with her black belly! Eggs, BIAS, stores. Only one frame left to finish pulling out. Will need to move them to the Bee Box soon. Will be renamed Hive 3.
Clean bill of health. Phew....
Had some lovely comments about our Paynes Carniolan Queen in Hive 2 . She has a great brood pattern and lays right up on the last frame and all the bees very docile. We must make sure we get a daughter Queen from her.
So now we are all set for the autumn and coming winter. Just have to remove capped honey when they have finished it and check their stores are adequate.
Busy painting the polyhive for the nuc and getting frames from the supers cleaned up and stored safely away from the dreaded wax moth. Is it recommended to spray them with anti moth stuff and then store in plastic bags?

 

[VixyB]

I had my first inspection yesterday too - but because of a local EFB outbreak. All was well with my hive thankfully! They are a small colony, but doing okay considering the last queen swarmed and so the new queen is only about a month old.

The imnspector was really nice and happy to answer all my newbie questions!

 

[Tremyfro]

Yes it is a relief when you get the all clear. There have been some cases of EFB in our local town...a few miles away. We were lucky to get our inspection done before the winter. We met our Inspector at the Royal Welsh Show and she promised to contact us to arrange a visit. A lovely lady. We used to live near Newbury...moved down to the vale of Glamorgan about 8 months ago.
Glad all was well with yours too. We had to wait to see if we got a queen in our nuc. Took a month to be sure but all was well, so I know what it is like when you are waiting! Next year, we will know more......as long as our bees survive their hilltop home weather.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes, I had an inspection as a result of EFB in a nearby commercial concern.
At least now I don't have to do a health check....I just looked over SBI's shoulder.
Tremyfro, if you spray your frames with certan I'm sure you can leave them just stacked up as long as they are strapped up and moth tight.
I store mine wet and untreated stacked up in the garden shed.

 

[Tremyfro]

Ah.. Thx for that info. I have some certan. All the frames have been cleaned up by the bees and are dry. I am hoping that OH will agree to a small (well....smallish!) Bee Shed, to keep all the bee stuff in. I would be really naffed off if the moth spent the winter munching through my lovely drawn comb.

 

[Tremyfro]

Yes, I had an inspection as a result of EFB in a nearby commercial concern.
At least now I don't have to do a health check....I just looked over SBI's shoulder.
Tremyfro, if you spray your frames with certan I'm sure you can leave them just stacked up as long as they are strapped up and moth tight.
I store mine wet and untreated stacked up in the garden shed.

It was nice to have a second opinion too wasn't it? Health check ticked off for us.

 

[Swarm]

Trem,
Watch those Carnies next year

 

[REDWOOD]

We had a case of EFB in my home town 6 years ago and was inspected every year for 5 years as a follow up, clean bill of health every year and I think everyone else did too. If you ever get a chance to attend a bee disease recognition course GO, especially if you have never seen EFB or AFB, you pair up at the end of the day and do a little quiz.

 

[Tremyfro]

We had the chance to go and see frames of EFB at our local club. It was run very efficiently and bio security was good. I guess it is easy to miss tho....

 

[Tremyfro]

Trem,
Watch those Carnies next year

Ooo errrr....what are they going to do? Will I need to order chain mail?

 

[REDWOOD]

Or overlooked

 

[Erichalfbee]

Ooo errrr....what are they going to do? Will I need to order chain mail?

They like to make lots of bees and swarm......that's your Paynes queen.

Crosses are renowned for their bad temper......that's her daughters. BUT then so are Buckie's. I have two 3rd generation, one horrid the other like lambs so you can't tell .....shrug

 

[Tremyfro]

We were able to avoid swarming this summer by giving new brood frames between the brood and an extra half brood. She used it all...so I am with you on the bee making! At least now we have the equipment ready for demarree/AS. Thx for the tip.