What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Antipodes]

Inspected to see if a queen was laying. Mated very late April (yes, very late but she did it). Anyhow, laying well and photo of her attached.

I also checked the queen that I filmed a few days ago, the one just returned from a mating flight, and to my surprise, she looks very much like a virgin. I know she mated because I saw evidence of it and she actually looked bigger when she was scurrying back into the hive than she does now. Interesting. Got no photo of her.

 

[Curly green finger's]

That's excellent going...... I'm serious. How many were yours that you overwintered?

Dani you follow me on fb you would know about the nucs?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Dani you follow me on fb you would know about the nucs?

I don't look at FB much
With this place, Macmillan the garden and bees there's no time .........and it was a serious question. I was simply interested. 8 is a good number to bring through.
You have to start your empire somewhere
I see some of Lawrence Edwards in you.......and look how successful he has become.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I don't look at FB much and it was a serious question. I was simply interested.
You have to start your empire somewhere
I see some of Lawrence Edwards in you.......and look how successful he has become.

14 of the nucs were for my client and the others were for me.

I choose overwintered nucs because they are better and have there own bees brood queen, which has wintered in this country, and are Amms.
And I do love ceris bees.. Not surprising really the love and care he gives them.

 

[Erichalfbee]

14 of the nucs were for my client and the others were for me.

I choose overwintered nucs because they are better and have there own bees brood queen, which has wintered in this country.

I edited my reply

 

[Erichalfbee]

I choose overwintered nucs because they are better and have there own bees brood queen, which has wintered in this country, and are Amms.
And I do love ceris bees.. Not surprising really the love and care he gives them.

Spot on

 

[Walter]

No sign of my queens going off lay!

Retracted: Going off lay was probably a bit extreme.
I was referring to the fact that, from my own observations coupled with what I've read, the April cold has meant a comparable reduction in laying.

 

[BigAshW]

Popped into my rescue nuc today. Queen was still in the cage so I released her myself. They have a pollen patty and a feeder on now so hopefully will start to build and lay up the drawn comb I have them.

 

[Nannysbees]

Noticed quite a few small cream and grey pellets under hive today, after some research think it's chalk brood, very strong hive, haven't a clue what to do. Advice please

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Noticed quite a few small cream and grey pellets under hive today, after some research think it's chalk brood, very strong hive, haven't a clue what to do. Advice please

Nothing
Just monitor the comb, if the percentage of chalkbrood gets too high then the only solution is the gatepost.
Most colonies just manage the issue themselves. Seeing as they've removed the mummies you found ,take it as a good sign.
It only becomes an issue if there are big piles of chalkbrood mummies found on the floor.

 

[The Poot]

Noticed quite a few small cream and grey pellets under hive today, after some research think it's chalk brood, very strong hive, haven't a clue what to do. Advice please

The pellets might be old pollen being chucked out, not necessarily chalk brood? If chalk brood it’s not usually a big issue, but if it becomes so, requeening is the remedy usually recommended.

 

[Nannysbees]

Here is a sample

 

[Curly green finger's]

Here is a sample

As others have said you can requeen if the problem gets worse, some comb change I've found helps.
I would rear queen's from that queen to Nannysbees.

 

[victor meldrew]

At the hive entrance! Temperature 9°c
hive number 1 covered in bees . Looked like they were about to swarm . A little early in the day and too cold for it I should think ! This is the colony I borrowed a frame of brood from on 22nd April . No signs of swarming .
I hung around for a while. There were scouts fiddling around some spare equipment , particularly an empty hive I’d bated right next door .
I left them to it . I wandered back about 4pm . All hives working,
a fair few Bess keeping the entrance of the bated hive busy . I spent some time searching all the hedgerows. No swarms . I think I may have an early May swarm .
if it is a prime swarm, I hope the old couplet comes true

 

[Swarm]

Here is a sample

Yes, chalk brood.
You recently did a split on a hive, is it from one of these? A few mummies like that sounds more like victims of temperature loss rather than a genetic issue.

 

[Nannysbees]

Yes, chalk brood.
You recently did a split on a hive, is it from one of these? A few mummies like that sounds more like victims of temperature loss rather than a genetic issue.

Thank you. Yes we did a split from a different hive, this one has been ticking along lovely, strong and a good temperament .

 

[Swn58]

Off to the farm today as yesterday's weather was rubbish. I didn't fancy a touch of sunburn, then frostbite and generally getting wet!
Unless there's an emergency, I will be leaving the bees alone and getting on with putting some legs on some pallets.

 

[madasafish]

In a brief sunny spell (8C) fed all mini mating nucs and nucs.

One Kieler hive - which I dequeened for a nuc- have raised their own Queen from scratch. She has just started laying. I will be amazed if she has been mated considering the weather.. but who knows?
I reckon the cells will be capped around 20th May...

Yes she will be small but they do work.

 

[jeff33]

Its a balmy 10c here with the brisk northerly and glorious sunshine. I have to open a couple of hives, they may not be best pleased but it needs to be done! Warmer and less windy tomorrow so I may do an inspection at the 2 sheltered apiaries to make sure they don't intend to swarm.

 

[Nannysbees]

Inspected our split hive and the chalkbrood hive today. Used a tweezer to remove some of the mummified larvae. Didn't seem to bad mostly on the outer frames. Such a lovely calm hive, found the queen, hope it rights itself as would hate to get rid of her, mass of bees, the odd play cup,pleasure to inspect. Put a super on the split not sure if they need it but thought it would keep them busy. Desperate to get into the queenless hive but have to be patient, what is the minimum time we should leave them? Mentor said another few weeks