Thar She Broods!

[Baggyone]

Why risk a frame feeder when an entrance one will do the job lovely. And much easier to see levels.

Baggy

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[oliver90owner]

Because there is really no risk and the syrup is kept a bit warmer. My entrance feeders were a pain and most leaked.

Regards, RAB

 

[viridens]

Early...

My hives are VERY busy and large amounts of Hazel and Crocus pollen are being collected. I haven't had time to check for brood, but the heat from the vents on two of my hives lead me to belive it's there... The season seems to be kicking off early here (Somerset). What are you finding?

 

[MrB]

Bee's coming out, pollen going in.
That's good enough for me!

 

[Skyhook]

My lords, I accept your chastisement. But before you pass sentence, may I just say in mitigation...

Did any of you look towards next week's cold snap forecast ? You will have disrupted the bees and sent them hither and thither, nights are still COLD.

Theyt were very far from clustered. Large numbers were flying, and the rest were all over the brood box.

not even mid-Feb and ppl are examining frames, classic, not to be advised as in the shade it was very cool today

Here it was 13-14C in the shade and noticably warmer where the hive is- if it wasn't 15C it was within a gnat's whisker.

I agree with all of the above wrist-slapping comments because there is not a lot you can do whatever you find but this afternoon was sunny, no wind, and the hive tool was calling for me...

As above- but while I wasn't expecting to DO anything, I succumbed to an overwhelming urge to know what was going on. Up to now I've done nothing more than lie on my back and look up through the OMF; but the warm day tempted me, and I was weak.

 

[MJBee]

My Halo is choking me

The friend I have been mentoring asked me last week if he could have a "quick look" as it was +15C in the shade and all his colonies were flying hard.

I said NO leave them be

 

[bees knees]

We have glass crownboards on so can take a sneaky peek through there when checking fondant without opening up. Obviously can't see what is going on in terms of brood and stores but its good to see the bees going about their business within the hive.

 

[Chris B]

Turning this thread sideways slightly, let me ask a theoretical question.......

If you were only allowed to do 6 brood inspections per colony per year, when would they be?

 

[RoofTops]

You don't have to inspect at all. Inspections are about making sure the colony runs efficiently as a honey gathering machine and is as free from disease as possible. Colonies in the wild are not inspected and leaving aside problems from varroa will exist more or less for ever on their own. They have been doing it for a few million years so far.

If you are not bothered about swarming and your bees are fairly isolated so probably going to be free from any really nasty diseases then you could indeed get away without inspecting. You would still have to treat for varroa but that would be the only reason to go into the brood nest other than perhaps once a year to change old comb.

But if you wanted to go in only 6 times a year then you could try every two weeks starting in say late April. This would give you a fair chance of avoiding swarms providing the queen was clipped - but it would not be foolproof as swarming could occur outside this period.

 

[Chris B]

I pretty much agree Rooftops.
I would go:
1 during 2nd week of April general health check
4 at 10 day gaps around **** swarming time
1 during September general health check

Every other visit need not involve brood disruption, but making exceptions for breeder queens, splits etc. where I might have an objective other than let them make honey.

 

[oliver90owner]

Get a Warre and only check about once a year!

Get an Apidictor and simply inspect when about to swarm.

Lots of different options.

RAB

 

[stilllearning]

although according to the "experts" you should leave them alone you have to remember keeping bees is a hobby or interest to most people and if your interested then curiosity gets the better of you, so there is nothing wrong with having a look especially if most precautions are considered , i mean not many looked in the hives when it was below zero and brass monkeys were looking for welders. it wont do them much good but then again it wont do them a lot of harm there your hives , you paid for them and you look after them so you can do what you like to them

 

[Hivemaker.]

Also a risk of killing the queen of course,or the bee's killing her by balling, which can happen,and is more likely in very early inspections....like this time of year.