crazy_bull
Field Bee
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2009
- Messages
- 522
- Reaction score
- 1
- Location
- Huntingdon
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 60
This was the first year i have used insulation across all my hive, and on doing my first proper inspections this weekend i was astonished at the size of the majority of the colonies, the majority were over wintered on brood + half (again not something i normally do but they all had full supers of syrup in the back end so left them on) of 37 that went into winter i have the following:
1 medium sized (3-4 frames sealed brood) but seemingly queenless
3 dying colonies (not ill, but insufficient bees to maintain a healthy brood ball these do have queens still that are laying well but the insufficient bees mean that the brood is chilling and dying) these queens will be saved and one introduced to the above colony and evaluated, the other 2 will be made into nucs and evaluated.
33 stonking hives with 8-10 full frames of brood and many laying up the above super as well.
I have never known such a good come through the winter, not sure what has caused it really, possibly the insulation, possibly the strong winter that kept them indoors and in cluster longer, maybe the extra space and therfore food (but have rarely lost an overwintering hive to starving). I have also noted that i have left them alone more this spring than i would do normally, i look back at my notes and find i have normally had a ferret about in them by the end of March, but this year all i did was heft and feed neopoll as per normal, perhaps letting them be has helped more than buggering them about.
Anyone else finding similar?
I don't mean this to rub salt in wounds for anyone who has lost colonies this winter, i know the pain and have lost 60% one year.
Other musings;
3 queens are marked pink (red 2008) and have some of the strongest brood patterns, I think i will breed from these.
11 are marked green (2009) again with strong brood pattern,
The rest are all last years queens with varying patterns but all strong.
C B
1 medium sized (3-4 frames sealed brood) but seemingly queenless
3 dying colonies (not ill, but insufficient bees to maintain a healthy brood ball these do have queens still that are laying well but the insufficient bees mean that the brood is chilling and dying) these queens will be saved and one introduced to the above colony and evaluated, the other 2 will be made into nucs and evaluated.
33 stonking hives with 8-10 full frames of brood and many laying up the above super as well.
I have never known such a good come through the winter, not sure what has caused it really, possibly the insulation, possibly the strong winter that kept them indoors and in cluster longer, maybe the extra space and therfore food (but have rarely lost an overwintering hive to starving). I have also noted that i have left them alone more this spring than i would do normally, i look back at my notes and find i have normally had a ferret about in them by the end of March, but this year all i did was heft and feed neopoll as per normal, perhaps letting them be has helped more than buggering them about.
Anyone else finding similar?
I don't mean this to rub salt in wounds for anyone who has lost colonies this winter, i know the pain and have lost 60% one year.
Other musings;
3 queens are marked pink (red 2008) and have some of the strongest brood patterns, I think i will breed from these.
11 are marked green (2009) again with strong brood pattern,
The rest are all last years queens with varying patterns but all strong.
C B
Calm down doc!
