Todays inspection

[steveselvage]

I had a look through my remaining two colonies today and am pleased to say they are stuffed with brood, both on commercial brood boxes and have six and seven frames of brood.
I found one queen easily as it was marked last year but didnt see the other.
The remaining frames are full of stores and they both have a chunk of fondant above.
Chuffed to bits after losing two earlier in the year.
I got stung on the leg through my jeans and an hour later my grandson was stung on the chest, he was nowhere near the hives, about 60 metres away.
He is only four and after he had stopped crying he told me "it wasnt one of ours grandad cos they only sting when you bother them" with that he went out to show off his battle scars.
A scary moment though.

 

[Rock_Chick]

I've been into my bees for first time this year.one hive is doing great full of bees and brood at all stages about 5 frames,I've left them with 2kg fondent,just to keep them going until weather picks up.have I done right?
My other hive is very poor not many bees probley about 2 frames(most were dead on the floor)no queen found.this hive had a very large amount of varroa and I think had nosema.I bought this hive of a person I did not know that will teach me.

 

[Midland Beek]

My other hive is very poor not many bees probley about 2 frames(most were dead on the floor)no queen found.this hive had a very large amount of varroa and I think had nosema.I bought this hive of a person I did not know that will teach me.

Brood would be the indicator whether or not this colony was queenright, and you didn't say whether they had some or not. If they were broodless, well, then they have had it.

 

[Rock_Chick]

Brood would be the indicator whether or not this colony was queenright, and you didn't say whether they had some or not. If they were broodless, well, then they have had it.

There is no brood in this hive at all,this was a poor colony last year.

 

[MJBee]

There is no brood in this hive at all,this was a poor colony last year.

With only 2 frames of bees and no brood I would suggest this colony is doomed.
I would close the entrance down to one bee space now and when it does finally expire seal it up to prevent robbing (and therefore the spread of your suspect nosema). Give all hive parts a good scorch and sterilize the frames with acetic acid or to be 100% safe burn them.

 

[Finman]

and have six and seven frames of brood.
.
The remaining frames are full of stores and they both have a chunk of fondant above..

When the hive has so much food stores, take fondant off. The hive needs laying area.

Soon you must enlarge the hive. Put under the brood box another brood that bees enlarge there. Take 2 food frames from brood box and put them into lower box. So the queen get laying area and you avoid early swarming.

 

[Busy Bee]

When the hive has so much food stores, take fondant off. The hive needs laying area.

Soon you must enlarge the hive. Put under the brood box another brood that bees enlarge there. Take 2 food frames from brood box and put them into lower box. So the queen get laying area and you avoid early swarming.

Certainly this would make double brood causing more problems later on no doubt. Is is not the object to reduce down to 1 brood if at all possible?


Busy Bee

 

[Finman]

Certainly this would make double brood causing more problems later on no doubt. Is is not the object to reduce down to 1 brood if at all possible?


Busy Bee

What is so difficult? What problems?

 

[Poly Hive]

I think they are thinking of queen finding Finman, a huge problem for many.

PH

 

[Finman]

I think they are thinking of queen finding Finman, a huge problem for many.

PH

OH!

That is a huge problem! I wonder why you should find it allways? What does it help?

The queen is there if there are eggs.
If there is no larvae and there are queen cells, queen is not there.

If there are queen cells and eggs, it is not sure if the queen is there any more.

 

[steveselvage]

When the hive has so much food stores, take fondant off. The hive needs laying area.

Soon you must enlarge the hive. Put under the brood box another brood that bees enlarge there. Take 2 food frames from brood box and put them into lower box. So the queen get laying area and you avoid early swarming.

Thanks for that finman,ill do it today.

 

[Finman]

When the colony has occupied half of the lower box, change their place (turning).

 

[Busy Bee]

Sorry for being STUPID but going through 2 brood boxes is plenty of hassle when doing hive inspection for swarming, would you leave double brood to inself, I would'nt think so. Not so much to find the queen but searching for queens cells different matter.

Its al right if your a commercial bee keeper looking to make 4-5 nucs from this but what do you do if your a hobbist?

I would'nt fancy being bent over for that length of time, espically if the bees were not very timid....

Busy Bee

 

[Finman]

Sorry for being STUPID but going through 2 brood boxes is plenty of hassle when doing hive inspection for swarming, would you leave double brood to inself, I would'nt think so.

When wee have swarming time I usually have 4-5 boxes in the hive. I have no exluder but I allways fing the queen on the few brood boxes.

Unmated queen may be where ever.

I aim is to rear big hives and I give so much room to brooding as they can use. It prevents swarming too.

" would you leave double brood to inself, I would'nt think so" What does that mean?

You have not nursed double brood hives if you do not know what to do with it.

 

[Finman]

If you do not find the queen, try after some hours. It is there where are just layed eggs.

When you open the brood box, you see a tighter cluster of bees in some frames. Queen is there.

If you give too much smoke, the queen runs away.

***********

If the hive is very bad and you cannot find the queen when bees attack

Move the hive 10 feet
Make a new hive to the old site and put there one brood frame
Old evil bees move to old place during two next days and then it is easy to find the queen.

 

[wightbees]

finman
am i right in thinking you don't use a queen excluder at all ?

 

[Finman]

.
Yes I dont. I use 3 brood boxes. Then queen does not lay in supers.
Usually lowest box has no brood. It has mostly pollen stores and new nectar.

 

[wightbees]

Thanks for info Finman

 

[Busy Bee]

If you do not find the queen, try after some hours. It is there where are just layed eggs.

When you open the brood box, you see a tighter cluster of bees in some frames. Queen is there.

If you give too much smoke, the queen runs away.

***********

If the hive is very bad and you cannot find the queen when bees attack

Move the hive 10 feet
Make a new hive to the old site and put there one brood frame
Old evil bees move to old place during two next days and then it is easy to find the queen.

I think Finman you should write a book your methods work for you but I would'nt like to try them here, it must be your shorter season.

If you where in, say "South England" adding brood boxes with no excluder I think you would need an Engineer Certificate for the stack, espically if they where Carnies.


Busy Bee

 

[Finman]

.

There folks like to keep excluder the year around. I do not want to upset your National Habits with my book.


But I do not know BB wht are you talking about. I have had Carniolans 10 years.
Nothing special in them. Just eager to swarm. Italians are better.

Short season? Do you mean that I have not full size hives? This is a beginning of July.