kazmcc
Queen Bee
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2010
- Messages
- 3,147
- Reaction score
- 3
- Location
- Longsight, Manchester, UK
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- None, although I have my eye on one ( Just don't tell Dusty ;) )
I spoke with my mentor today, as I forgot to fill in the hive notes and want to keep on top of that. The bees started as five frames, within 9 days, thay had filled out half a frame each side of the central five, and were drawing comb on the other sides. They are on brood and a half, with no QE and were also drawing out comb in the super on 2 frames. He told me what he'd noted, they were very populous, lots of bees, laying is good, very few drones, a few drone brood. Reasonable honey on the frames around brood - brood very full to the walls of the frames. This is due to there being a solid floor in so far, the mesh will be fitted next inspection. Good honey in the made up supers. Good pollen stores.
They haven't been fed yet. When I asked if we are going to feed them, he said they are doing well enough on their own. I forwarded him the warning from the bee inspector in Cumbria, and he reassured me that our bees live in the bee restaurant of the allotments with two huge parks nearby. They can take care of themselves for the next week or so, but we will check again next inspection and make a decision. I must say, they are very calm, at most there were 10 -12 bees in the air at the height of our inspection and the were very quiet. They all returned to the box immediately after we put the lid on and they just do their coming and going thing without even noticing us really. Great bees for kids, hope they continue to be this nice.
I keep going on about it, but it was the first time I actually looked at the frames, and my 11 yr old son was there for his first time bee keeping. We saw a bee emerging from a cell, chewing her way out of the capping. Paul said the others would normally pull her out but we had cleared the frame a bit by patting the bees and they just got out of the way...it was magical, especially as it was our first real inspection, almost like they put on a show for us
They haven't been fed yet. When I asked if we are going to feed them, he said they are doing well enough on their own. I forwarded him the warning from the bee inspector in Cumbria, and he reassured me that our bees live in the bee restaurant of the allotments with two huge parks nearby. They can take care of themselves for the next week or so, but we will check again next inspection and make a decision. I must say, they are very calm, at most there were 10 -12 bees in the air at the height of our inspection and the were very quiet. They all returned to the box immediately after we put the lid on and they just do their coming and going thing without even noticing us really. Great bees for kids, hope they continue to be this nice.
I keep going on about it, but it was the first time I actually looked at the frames, and my 11 yr old son was there for his first time bee keeping. We saw a bee emerging from a cell, chewing her way out of the capping. Paul said the others would normally pull her out but we had cleared the frame a bit by patting the bees and they just got out of the way...it was magical, especially as it was our first real inspection, almost like they put on a show for us