Supers at the ready......

[Haughton Honey]

Next week's shaping up to be a warm one with temps possibly in the early to mid 20's across parts of the UK.

 

[Pugmitch]

Bet that doesn't include my part of the UK! My ladies have yet to get off their starting blocks......as for supers.....perhaps August if I'm lucky!

 

[Tim1606]

We have already extracted over 100lb from 2 colonies in one apiary. Only took it off as we were moving them to make it easier.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Bet that doesn't include my part of the UK! My ladies have yet to get off their starting blocks......as for supers.....perhaps August if I'm lucky!

Can't seem to get rid of that norwesterly!
Yep.... Bramble and Willow herb
and perhaps Balsam honey for me

 

[psafloyd]

We have already extracted over 100lb from 2 colonies in one apiary. Only took it off as we were moving them to make it easier.

Have you got rape near you?

 

[peteinwilts]

...or a sugar syrup factory

 

[Winker]

We have already extracted over 100lb from 2 colonies in one apiary. Only took it off as we were moving them to make it easier.

I have pulled 5 full Supers off 3 hives today all fully capped and ready for extracting tomorrow. I have left at least a half supper of capped honey on each hive. OSR

 

[Tim1606]

Have you got rape near you?

No, just a huge nursery on one side and an orchard on the other. The bees are always busy, even when its raining. One of my best apiaries but only allowed to keep 4 colonies there.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Lucky you to have so much honey that's not OSR.
Perhaps I should have stayed in Teddington
I'd never tasted osr honey so bought some on a recent trip to Ross on Wye.
YUK!!!! husband liked it though

 

[Rob55]

My hive that just swarmed has loads of capped brood ready to hatch out but is obviously queen less until the new virgin hatches and gets mated etc. Will all the bees continue to pile the honey in the mean time? I have about 3 frames left to draw in the brood box and just set on a full super which is not drawn, I wonder if I should give them a light feed to help them draw it out or just leave them to get on with it?

 

[Tom Bick]

A good chance the bees will concentrate on nectar Rob with the brood break once you get more flying bees out of the hive but they may just back fill the brood box and not waste time on wax building but once your new queen comes into lay they will move any stores from the brood box and build plenty of comb.

 

[herefordshirehoney]

4 supers full here so far and started to draw out extra brood box i put on an instead of brooding have decided they'd like to store honey. Can we ask em to read the books? Looks like I need to borrow an extractor for the weekend as some were starting to get capped and it may be osr, also running out of equipment before the warm snap

 

[northernsoul]

I've forgotten what a super full of capped honey looks like.
haven't seen one since last May bank holiday when I last extracted.
A year of sad, cold, wet and sometimes dead bees.

 

[For want of a better word]

Put a brood box atop a Carni colony already on double brood... OSR all around.
IMOHO not the best to eat... filled brood comb will make up food for nucs, so has some value!

Black bee zeolot!..... well Carnies are pretty black!!!!!
( and B vicious too.. followed me 1/2 mile back to car buzzing and pinging all the way)

 

[MJBee]

I've forgotten what a full super looks like On 16th May my honey producers had 2 and even 3 supers on and some were just beginning to be capped. Then came 10 days of cold and wet weather. 26th May all supers virtually EMPTY.

The weather is forecast to get better from Saturday and the Acacia has not yet flowered round here (normally flowers 1st week of May) so there is hope.

 

[alldigging]

It is a glorious day here in Oldham today!
White pollen was going in yesterday and there is definitely hawthorn about.

What colour is rowan pollen?

 

[flemage]

Please please, let it be sunny, oh and warm, not to much wind and coming from the right direction just for a week or two. Oh and if they could just hold off swarming for a few more weeks that would be great. Then maybe, perhaps, i will see a full super.

 

[herefordshirehoney]

Please please, let it be sunny, oh and warm, not to much wind and coming from the right direction just for a week or two. Oh and if they could just hold off swarming for a few more weeks that would be great. Then maybe, perhaps, i will see a full super.

I'm putting my clearer boards on tonight taking off 4 supers plus maybe a brood box of 4 langstroth frames, sorry to rub it in. Excited as will be my first crop.

The forecast looks promising next week so hopefully they will refill the boxes meaning im having extract twice for OSR.

I'm already seeing what OSR does though, i'm 50/50 weather I need to do an AS on the one colony tonight as I think it was a lava with jelly in last time. However, my mind took over and ripped it down without thinking so I dont know if it was just drone very annoying as i've got the extra box ready for pagden if needed. New beekeepers beware and think as you do not want todo the same as me!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What colour is rowan pollen?

Various shades of light/pastel greens - gives nectar and pollen.

 

[youngyoungs]

I'm so happy for the beeks with full supers. I've never had any honey from my colonies and upto now this year isn't shaping up to be a record breaker. My family are beginning to doubt that bees make honey, rather their current favourite theory is that all bees do is to drink sugar syrup. Oh to have to get an extractor out....or worry whether I have enough jars.

Fingers crossed!