Say hello to Carys

[Swarm]

The part of beekeeping that I don't like, bringing home stowaway bees. I don't mind older bees, they generally fly out the window and off back home, unless you grab one when lifting a comb or one that flies up your T shirt, my only stings last year
It's those poor little nurse house bees who are totally lost that upset me. This year I've managed to bring home just one bee so far, my wife found her sitting on the back of the dining room chair, watching her working from home so I gave her a little top up of honey and popped her in a box. I was collecting clearer boards today so she came with me.
I removed the board and shook the clumps of bees off and they toddled off down into the seams. Let Carys out of the box and watched a group of bees greet her before they walked off. Lovely.
Meet Carys (yes I know them all by name)

 

[Erichalfbee]

Ahhhhh Steve, you're an old softy!

 

[Swarm]

You're right, I'm getting worse.

 

[coffindodger]

 

[Rockingod]

One of my daughters decided to rescue a very poor overwintered nuc earlier this year. The queen was only laying on 1/2 a frame, the bees were dwindling fast and the colder they became the less the queen was laying. The downward spiral looked to be absolute. I was going to cull the queen and turf the rest of the poor little puppies out but she decided it was worth rescuing. Slowly she fed them up and added a bit of pollen sub now and again just to help them out. Bit by bit they improved until the queen is now laying on 3 full frames. She named the queen Daphne and now its a case of 'Hey Dad...did you check on Daphne today?'....'Hey Dad....Did you put a feeder on Daphne?'......'Hey Dad do you think it's time to put Daphne in a full brood box?' etc etc etc. You get my drift. Talk about being bloody soft..

 

[Murox]

One of my daughters decided to rescue a very poor overwintered nuc earlier this year. The queen was only laying on 1/2 a frame, the bees were dwindling fast and the colder they became the less the queen was laying. The downward spiral looked to be absolute. I was going to cull the queen and turf the rest of the poor little puppies out but she decided it was worth rescuing. Slowly she fed them up and added a bit of pollen sub now and again just to help them out. Bit by bit they improved until the queen is now laying on 3 full frames. She named the queen Daphne and now its a case of 'Hey Dad...did you check on Daphne today?'....'Hey Dad....Did you put a feeder on Daphne?'......'Hey Dad do you think it's time to put Daphne in a full brood box?' etc etc etc. You get my drift. Talk about being bloody soft..

I think that just makes you both compassionate people - wonder where she got that trait from ?

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

You're right, I'm getting worse.

Likewise

 

[Erichalfbee]

This is my little rescue. We have a “wild” colony in the garden. April two years ago we watched them swarm out of the box in the tree. This is the swarm. We rescued them put the queen in a cage and made a nuc up for her. Her bees we fed up and shook them into the landing board. They all marched in. I still have her
Video garden swarm.mp4

 

[Rockingod]

WOW!! That's an incredibly small swarm. I can't recollect ever seen one that size before.
Well done Dani you've definitely got the knack girl!

 

[Rockingod]

I think that just makes you both compassionate people - wonder where she got that trait from ?

Definitely not me. No! No! No!........Well ok..... maybe just a teeny weeny little bit then!
Just promise you won't tell everybody and I'll forgive you....

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

You're right, I'm getting worse.

Have you checked how Carys is getting on?

 

[Erichalfbee]

WOW!! That's an incredibly small swarm. I can't recollect ever seen one that size before.
Well done Dani you've definitely got the knack girl!

Starvation swarm I reckoned. Those few bees did well for their tatty queen. They saved her genes

 

[Swarm]

I've been spinning the honey and it's been raining since. I do have two more supers to come from them but I think only one of them will be capped so I'll catch up and see how she is in a few days.
90lbs from this colony so far, they really have done well.

 

[Rockingod]

Daphne update.....A 'hey Dad' moment....(you know what's coming)....
Doing the home apiary today. Last full inspections of the year, removing the last of the supers, putting on feeders and pollen sub, closing down entrance ways etc etc. We take it in turns whenever possible so that there's a balance in the inspection results. It was my turn to look at Daphne.
"Stop....stop....stop...."yells daughter. "I'll do Daphne. She's my queen (and colony)". Daphne is now on 6 frames of bees but her lay rate has dropped back to 2 BAS (expected). Just goes to show with a little bit of love and affection etc........

 

[Erichalfbee]

Daphne update.....A 'hey Dad' moment....(you know what's coming)....
Doing the home apiary today. Last full inspections of the year, removing the last of the supers, putting on feeders and pollen sub, closing down entrance ways etc etc. We take it in turns whenever possible so that there's a balance in the inspection results. It was my turn to look at Daphne.
"Stop....stop....stop...."yells daughter. "I'll do Daphne. She's my queen (and colony)". Daphne is now on 6 frames of bees but her lay rate has dropped back to 2 BAS (expected). Just goes to show with a little bit of love and affection etc........

Stan has a hive if his own. It’s on the potting shed roof and he has to use a ladder to get up there. Stupidly we left an occupied bait hive up there. He quite likes it because I can’t interfere with it.