What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Curly green finger's]

Got a call from one of my landlords to say that their neighbours had cut down part of the dividing hedge and bees were buzzing the tree surgeons. "Could I do anything or move the bees?" I said I'd go over and put up a piece of net to get them to fly above head height.
When I arrived the hive on brood + 1/2 was extremely busy so I thought I better have a look in. On cracking the crown board it was obvious this was a rammed box. I checked the super and found plenty of drone brood. When I went into the broodbox everything looked good until I spotted the queen and sealed queen cell on the same comb. Since this was the 5th frame I assumed this was probably a supercedure but over the subsequent frames I found another 6 cells in various states. I decided to do a thorough search, leave one unsealed cell, remove the queen to a nuc with lots of bees, two combs of sealed brood and some combs of stores.
I added a super but if it had been warmer I would have added two!
So it begins!

I did that last year Neil added two supers.
Q. If it was a different part of the season would you of done something more with the spare cells rather than getting rid of them?
My thoughts I wonder how many possible queen's get squashed in a season? Is this at the right time not possible stock we could use?

 

[Newbeeneil]

Q. If it was a different part of the season would you of done something more with the spare cells rather than getting rid of them?

Yes I would have used the cells if later in the year as she is a nice calm queen but I have my doubts about mating in this early so happy to just let the colony requeen.
I'll probably use the queen for rearing later this year.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Yes I would have used the cells if later in the year as she is a nice calm queen but I have my doubts about mating in this early so happy to just let the colony requeen.
I'll probably use the queen for rearing later this year.

Same here all though there is lots of drone brood in some hives up here, if the weather was more favourable I would of given it ago..
Im starting queen rearing by the end of April aldepending on weather bugger!!!!

 

[Goran]

Tomorrow I plan to have Bee day.. if strong wind don't blow me away.. Will see.. if not I have other no brain less pain jobs ( muscle jobs..)..
After days of minus temps ( few days minus 5-6C, the rest minus 2-3C). Lot of wild cherries are gone, the fruit trees ( except hazels) I treated with DRIN, will see did it helps to save some fruits.. In ditches some of wild cherries surprisingly with white flowers BUT yet is cold and stand there as decoration, not to mention strong cold wind blowing brain off.. I get feeling that little horns are growing on my forehead.. If black locust survive and get chance to offer nectar, I will go berserk and go for maximum yield ( merging, removing queens, etc..). My beek friend and mentor already polishing jenter, but I advised him - take it easy, don't rush.. It is delicate time and we must get them to get all black locust honey they can.. I wish to hear again sound of colonies in full strength in black locust forage and to remove entrances due to enormous traffic.. Memory of that is fading due to this crappy climate changes, sometimes I think it will never happen again.. In coming week we are expecting temps dancing around 0C, also not makes me happy again..

 

[Curly green finger's]

Feed a bit more fondant today as its to cold for syrup, weighed some colonys and they have put on weight by looking at the inspection boards they've stored lots of willow pollen.
Im still yet to inspect most colonys this board is from a single brood colony.

 

[Moobee]

Watched the council mow the grass verges with all the lovely dandelions growing

Vandals

 

[elainemary]

Woken up to a white out today. Glad I left the varroa boards in overnight, nearly middle of April, blooming heck! Poor plants & bees!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Woken up to a white out today. Glad I left the varroa boards in overnight, nearly middle of April, blooming heck! Poor plants & bees!

Yes, it's pants this weather. No sign of any real let up until May. God knows what the bees are up to inside those boxes......unfortunately I have my suspicions

 

[elainemary]

Yes, it's pants this weather. No sign of any real let up until May. God knows what the bees are up to inside those boxes......unfortunately I have my suspicions

OMG. Yes need to be in there fast as soon as it warms up in about 10 more days! No sign of the song thrush that was on her nest over the last week or so

 

[The Poot]

OMG. Yes need to be in there fast as soon as it warms up in about 10 more days! No sign of the song thrush that was on her nest over the last week or so

Very picturesque but not exactly what you wanted to see!
I‘m disappointed with the cold here, but it’s nothing to what you’re suffering.

 

[pargyle]

Very picturesque but not exactly what you wanted to see!
I‘m disappointed with the cold here, but it’s nothing to what you’re suffering.

That's a fact..

I think the Costa del Fareham has had snow like that once in the last 50 years !! Brought the place to a standstill as most of the locals had only ever seen snow on skiiing trips abroad !

Cold by our standards down here at 9 degrees although the clouds have cleared and the sun is shining .. we've had no rain for at least the last three weeks ...

 

[user 819]

Same here not far from you Philip as the crow fly's, ground/garden I noticed is starting to show cracks due to lack of rain. Sun looks inviting but the chill wind isn't.

 

[elainemary]

Very picturesque but not exactly what you wanted to see!
I‘m disappointed with the cold here, but it’s nothing to what you’re suffering.

Some good news, the song thrush is on her nest, must have been hunkered down so I couldn’t see her. Bees were flying in the sun a few mins ago, they’re v confused! Just started snowing lightly again.

 

[pargyle]

Same here not far from you Philip as the crow fly's, ground/garden I noticed is starting to show cracks due to lack of rain. Sun looks inviting but the chill wind isn't.

Yes, Southerly, backing South Easterly and a chilly breeze ... very pleasant in the sheltered bits of the garden but not T-shirt weather yet, I've just noticed buds on the lilac tree in the front garden so that's a little early compared to last year. I always find it odd how different trees and plants react to varyng weather conditions in spring ... it's bee a very dry period for us down here compared to the very wet start around the same time last year - and then a drought for weeks. We really need some rain down here.

I have a feeling that this year is going to be a swarm year.

Lots of people feeding their bees (perhaps some unnecssarily) .. my colonies are clearly growing at a rate of knots and still too cold (IMO) to be opening them up. I think it;s going to catch a lot of people out when the weather warms up - as it will in a couple of weeks - there will be loads of forage about, boxes stuffed with stores from overfeeding and colonies that have built up to near season strength ...

I have it in my waters that the little beggars are already planning .... it will undoubtedly catch a few people out.

 

[Antipodes]

Still drones in some hives, although this worker yesterday seemed to be hanging onto the wing of a drone.
View attachment VID_20210408_143413557.mp4
















Snowfalls up high today with an Antarctic blast and cold blustery winds, so I reckon their time will be up soon here.

 

[BugsInABox]

Is it the light or so your drones have unusually pointy bottoms?

 

[StephenT]

I have it in my waters that the little beggars are already planning .... it will undoubtedly catch a few people out.

That sort of talk is scaring a beginner like me . I haven’t fed at all since autumn and plan to open them up again next Sunday when the forecast is for about 17c. Just made a second Demaree eke and avoided bleeding over this one.

 

[pargyle]

That sort of talk is scaring a beginner like me . I haven’t fed at all since autumn and plan to open them up again next Sunday when the forecast is for about 17c. Just made a second Demaree eke and avoided bleeding over this one.

Nothing to be scared of ...bees swarm ...that's what they do..you will know when they are going to once you start inspecting and can do something about it...its still very early for swarms ...chill ...be prepared...its those who are not aware that will get caught out ...and if you have not fed since autumn (I haven't either) its unlikely they will be stores bound this early...watch out for early heavy crops ...OSR ...they can really go to town if the weather is right and the OSR blooms... nothing to fear... keep your eyes open and watch for the conditions that will induce the swarm triggers...

 

[Boston Bees]

Confirmed swarm near me (West Yorkshire) two days ago. Which surprised me somewhat. They must have been desperate. Or desperately swarmy /optimistic.

 

[pargyle]

Confirmed swarm near me (West Yorkshire) two days ago. Which surprised me somewhat. They must have been desperate. Or desperately swarmy /optimistic.

Or the box was so stuffed full of sugar that they didn't have any option .... bees usually swarm for a reason ... and this early where you are it's not going to be because it's so warm they think summer has arrived or there is so much forage they think it's opportune ... I've heard that colonies so riddled with varroa can move on as well ... whatever it is - it is unusually early for swarms in your neck of the woods ... makes you wonder doesn't it ?