What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Stedic]

Went up to hives. Have one that is bursting with bees and wondered about making them brood and a half. Got there in 14c and sun... then it chucked it down! Shoved supers on each hive (above crown board, just for storage) and retreated to the car. Sun came out again - all hives flying well and bringing in pollen. Removed mouseguards as loads of pollen being knocked off.

Itching to inspect or super the one bursting with bees but trying to hold my nerve.

Fingers crossed we get some nectar soon - fondant still being munched at the moment.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I'm away week so I really had to get into my hives before then. The mercury hit 13 degrees so I had a quick look through. It looks like the girls in one hive are getting ready for the swarm season!
There was drone brood on two sides of one frame.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I'm away week so I really had to get into my hives before then. The mercury hit 13 degrees so I had a quick look through. It looks like the girls in one hive are getting ready for the swarm season!
There was drone brood on two sides of one frame.

what was on the rest? I wouldn't have expected that at this time of the year.

 

[Newbeeneil]

what was on the rest? I wouldn't have expected that at this time of the year.

I thought it was early, hence my post.
There was BIAS on about 4 frames, I didn't see the queen but did see eggs. There was no sign of any Queen cells.

 

[oliver90owner]

So, swarming won’t be likely for possibly another three weeks? Might be about right for some. It takes us to nearly the end of the month. It might be due to other reasons than really ready for swarming - lack of brood space may be a factor.

 

[Newbeeneil]

So, swarming won’t be likely for possibly another three weeks? Might be about right for some. It takes us to nearly the end of the month. It might be due to other reasons than really ready for swarming - lack of brood space may be a factor.

No, there was plenty of space because they were actually short of food. I had to remove some empty frames and add some frames of honey to the box.

 

[beeno]

Hi Newbeeneil,
Went into one of mine for a different reason yesterday. All was well, queen nice and big, worker brood on four frames, but also some drone brood. Took one out to inspect for varroa in drone brood. May need to treat as I had very late brooding and followed forum advice no need to do oxalic at Christmas if you did a good job with autumn treatment which I did.

 

[Angularity]

So, swarming won’t be likely for possibly another three weeks? Might be about right for some. It takes us to nearly the end of the month. It might be due to other reasons than really ready for swarming - lack of brood space may be a factor.

Glad to hear it.

Yesterday I went into two colonies, found and marked the queens (the first time I have ever achieved this). I am a beekeeping god, I though to myself.

No eggs seen, plenty of food reserves, albeit ivy. Plenty of space.

This morning, there's a little pile of wax below one of the hives at 08:00. by 09:00 they are making a very good impression of swarming. A crowd of bees round the entrance, another crowd mainly centred on the willow tree above the hive. There seems to be no centre to it, so maybe HM doesn't want to go fly, thank you very much.

Another hive next door had a live drone wandering about, with more drone brood near emergence.

 

[Poly Hive]

Orientation flights.

When you encounter a swarm on the wing it has a very distinctive sound.

PH

 

[Dadnlad]

Last of the pollen sub/fondant on some yesterday, hopefully I've run out just in time for the real thing to kick in

Noticed two pecker holes have appeared in two of my poly nucs - what do folks fill theirs with ?

 

[Beefriendly]

Noticed two pecker holes have appeared in two of my poly nucs - what do folks fill theirs with ?

If no-one is around....... lead pellets at speed do a good job

 

[Ashley_apiaries]

If no-one is around....... lead pellets at speed do a good job

That made me spit my tea out!

 

[Angularity]

Orientation flights.

When you encounter a swarm on the wing it has a very distinctive sound.

PH

I know....

They went back in, then just now (16:00) I went back and they were clustered on the front of the hive, the recently-marked Queen among them. As they were short on numbers, I opened up the hive, put the four heaviest frames of stores into a nuc, insulated up the rest of the space and brushed the bees into the nuc.

Hopefully they'll be happy there.

 

[Wingy]

Opened up the nuc today, whole tub of fondant had gone & 3/4 of a pollen Pattie only put in there 2 weeks ago, took the eke off and started cleaning out all the comb they had built in there so I could get to the frames. Was putting all the wax in a bucket, bees everywhere then noticed bloody uncapped larvae, mass panic to find the Q. Transferred all 5 frames into full BB dummied to 7 frames. Found Q on last frame just got her & rest of bees in & heavens opened. CB & roof on. Gap in rain I put another fondant & pollen Pattie on super as an eke with insulation and roof back on.
Hour later sun was out and loads of bees negotiating their new home new colour & new underfloor entrance. All seems ok with pollen coming in again.

 

[JWF]

From a quick look at the hives this evening it appears that my weakest hive may well be getting robbed by a much stronger hive, as there was an occasional bee flying between the two colonies.

I will block them in when it gets a bit darker, and will have to see what state they're in on Saturday and see what I can do, if anything.

 

[beeno]

One of my hives chucking this year's healthy looking drones out!

 

[Helen]

Did nothing with the bees today as was working, but spent an hour this evening at the local bee association meetup with Wally Shaw presenting his insight into swarming.

 

[Jafer2]

Cant at the moment as im at work but im sure with this lovely spring day my bees are hard at work! Fed pollen patty 2 weeks ago and checked yesterday. Over the coverboard could see they have doubled in size! Was a 5 frame nuc with 2 frames of bees overwintered. Now 5 frames in full hive to expand rapidly hopefully for all the bloom. Will have to sugar feed a little to get them building new comb for the expansion. Bring on the summer! If its a repeat of 2013 then should be a hot summer

 

[Hachi]

Checked all my colonies and all have made it through which is excellent news.

 

[Swarm]

Watched the pollen piling in. Also noticed a few Dandelions out today.