Red letter day! (I hope...)

[Vanterrier]

Well temperatures and breeze were spot on today here. Bees massing at entrance with loads of yellow pollen (daffodil?) And some taking in water, so I decided to bite the bullet...
reconfigured hive by removing 5" eke below OMF (which I had filled with insulation earlier) placed OMF with inspection board above new insulated solid floor.
BB placed on OMF and has insulation wrapped around.
Removed old poly CB and 3" eke with feeder and fitted a QE then my first ever Super!!! - hence red letter day
Topped that with new poly CB the flat roof with 2" kingspan insulation and strapped down.
Decided not to open the BB to inspect frames, all looked good from above and I didn't want to push my luck.
I know pride comes before a fall but after the roller coaster ride of my first year with a colony from a June swarm with a VQ I feel I have brought them through winter.
Looking forward to doing a split later and at some stage actually getting some honey...
Wish me luck
K

 

[ericbeaumont]

(daffodil?)

Nope. Yellow could be willow, OSR or crocus. Open near you?
One of these books will be useful (though not necessarily the Hodges at £285).

 

[Vanterrier]

Yes there is some willow nearby and zillions of daffs thanks.

K

 

[ericbeaumont]

zillions of daffs

No good to honey bees.

 

[Vanterrier]

Thanks again... every day is a school day
K

 

[Newbeeneil]

Could be Laurel as that’s out around me,

 

[Vanterrier]

No Laurels around here very few gardens, no OSR but a lot of Gorse, no dandelions flowering yet... lots of hawthorn later.
K

 

[philipm]

Plenty of flowers with us but rain hail sleet and snow ,won't even risk opening up until day and night time temperatures go up.

 

[ericbeaumont]

a lot of Gorse

Gorse is useful to bees, for pollen and nectar.

 

[alancooper]

Could be Laurel as that’s out around?

Could be Laurel as that’s out around me,

Laurel pollen loads have a greyish colour.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Not from the chart Ericbeaumont put up

 

[Swarm]

Not from the chart Ericbeaumont put up

That chart wasn't very accurate IMO.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Not from the chart Ericbeaumont put up

I think whoever made that chart up (apt term I should say) must have been colourblind

 

[Newbeeneil]

That chart wasn't very accurate IMO.

I would agree but laurel pollen is certainly closer to yellow than grey.
http://www.bristolbeekeepers.org.uk/Pollen.html

 

[Swarm]

I would agree but laurel pollen is certainly closer to yellow than grey.
http://www.bristolbeekeepers.org.uk/Pollen.html

Yep, I agree, all you need to do is take a look at the bees on it. The trouble with charts is the inks used in the printing process.

 

[thorn]

Could be Laurel as that’s out around me,

The OP's 300 miles north of you. It'll be two or three weeks at least before he sees any laurel.