to early to open

[parttimer]

Has anyone been brave enough to check their hives yet? considering the mercury hasn't hit double figures yet! My bee's have been flying though so should I check them the next time I see them out?

 

[Swarm]

Mine have been flying these last few days due to the sun, I doubt they did today as it was bloody freezing. If you know they have stores I'd say sit on your hands for a while before lifting frames. If worried about stores, a quick application of supplement will do.

 

[m100]

They have started flying, they might have even started collecting pollen, the queen might even be in lay, but so what? What can you possibly achieve by an inspection? What precisely are you going to check for?

Heft the hive, if its light bung some fondant or syrup on. The beekeeping season is maybe 6 or 8 weeks late in the North. So read a book, make some frames or boxes up, do anything but a inspection involving removing frames.

 

[enrico]

I agree, the reason for inspections is not just I see what is going on! You should go in only to do something specific. When it's done....that's it. Please do not open them yet. You will do more harm than good!
E

 

[Winker]

and when you do have a reason for checking, i have learned not to let the weather put you off that inspection.

 

[richardbees]

Please do not open them yet. You will do more harm than good!

ditto

Without a really urgent reason, I never inspect unless the apiary thermometer is +13C no wind and dry.

 

[VEG]

lol not often then

 

[richardbees]

craig

Yes! those parameters do look unlikely! We had snow settling this pm

 

[parttimer]

Thanks for all the posts. Just running out of patients for this good weather to come haha . Il clean up some old brood boxes tomorrow instead.

 

[johnfly]

Has anyone been brave enough to check their hives yet? considering the mercury hasn't hit double figures yet! My bee's have been flying though so should I check them the next time I see them out?

i opened four yesterday, 1 single national, 1 double and 2 one and a half boxs, why, sun shining, hives under south facing shaded eight foot wall, temp 14C on wall behind hives,there were a lot of bees flying, not moved much fondant off top of frames, seven frames of brood and eggs in three hives, double box had 13 frames of brood and eggs also a few drones walking about with some capped drone cells. all had good stores but i left fondant and pollen patties on.
other hives in other locations to cold to inspect, use your own common sense of your location

 

[Erichalfbee]

seven frames of brood and eggs in three hives, double box had 13 frames of brood and eggs also a few drones walking about with some capped drone cells

Blimey!
I have real bee envy
I wonder how many colonies are in a similar position?
Watch out for swarming as soon as the weather picks up.

 

[Pete D]

i opened four yesterday, , seven frames of brood and eggs in three hives, double box had 13 frames of brood and eggs also a few drones walking about with some capped drone cells. all had good stores but i left fondant and pollen patties on.
other hives in other locations to cold to inspect, use your own common sense of your location

WOW 34 frames of brood across 4 hives already, I would be well pleased if I had that much across my 19 hives, fingers crossed, I wouldnt want the Drones though.......

Pete D

 

[beeno]

Hi John,
Good on you. Well, well some of us will be totally stumped then unless they have read your post. By the way should you not have taken the feed off asks a newbie?

 

[davnig]

WOW 34 frames of brood across 4 hives already, I would be well pleased if I had that much across my 19 hives, fingers crossed, I wouldnt want the Drones though.......

Pete D

Don't knock the need for drones, we'll need drones this spring if fears of poorly mated queens from last year prove to be true

 

[VEG]

Hi John,
Good on you. Well, well some of us will be totally stumped then unless they have read your post. By the way should you not have taken the feed off asks a newbie?

If you take the feed off they will then risk starvation, with that amount of brood in the hives, and not a great lot of forage around along with the current temperatures.

 

[beeno]

If you take the feed off they will then risk starvation, with that amount of brood in the hives, and not a great lot of forage around along with the current temperatures.

Hi Veg,
My point was that John said he had good stores already. So, when John has a moment it would be nice to hear why he is doubling up.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Don't knock the need for drones, we'll need drones this spring if fears of poorly mated queens from last year prove to be true

yes we need drones - but for most of us, drones at this time of year usually spells things aren't right in the colony - DLQ, unmated virgin or laying workers.

To quote Manley on early spring inspections:
'There are other things to be looked for when [solid]floors are being changed [March was the time he proscribed for doing this - depending on weather]. You may see a few dead young drones lying on the floor, and this is a pretty sure sign that the queen of the stock is a drone layer or failing'

 

[VEG]

Hi Veg,
My point was that John said he had good stores already. So, when John has a moment it would be nice to hear why he is doubling up.

Sometimes they can have good stores but wont move to the stores if clustered, by placing fondant over the cluster they have direct access to it.

 

[johnfly]

Hi Veg,
My point was that John said he had good stores already. So, when John has a moment it would be nice to hear why he is doubling up.

Hi Beeno, two reasons, 1, as veg has said, if they need it its there, 2, as long as they keep going as they are with stores around brood then at a later date ( when weather is better ) i can remove some frames of brood into weaker hives to help them, without depleating their stores, when i have taken the frames and replaced them with drawn foundation frames i can then bruise stores thats left for them to use and expand or i can put some full frames of stores into freezer to use at later date.

 

[johnfly]

WOW 34 frames of brood across 4 hives already, I would be well pleased if I had that much across my 19 hives, fingers crossed, I wouldnt want the Drones though.......

Pete D

i dont mind the drones from these hives as long as i can get some queen cells from the hives as well when they are ready.