What did you do in the Apiary today?

[StephenT]

Added a 2nd super to mongrel hive as the first one is filing nicely and plenty of bees to fill both. About 11 frames of brood with plenty of space for the queen to lay in the bottom box. The others 2 hives are relatively weak with one about to fail completely. Need to figure out what the issue is.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Possibly the queen. I have two not doing as well as the others

 

[StephenT]

Possibly the queen. I have two not doing as well as the others

Yep. No obvious disease just weak. Have a new queen being delivered next week and will requeen the strongest probably with an extra frame of emerging brood from mongrel hive.

 

[Do224]

Inspected 8 more today,I thought the 8 I looked at yesterday were doing well but these today were even better! Ranging from 10 to 16 frames BIAS and all bursting with nurse bees and huge slabs of sealed brood. Removed any deep frames of stores and replaced them with foundation to keep them busy and give the Q some more room to lay. Lots of play cups appearing some with eggs in. Supers added to all colonies. It's going to get interesting over the next few weeks!

Wow, I’m just north of you in Cumbria and haven’t been into my hive yet. Hoping to in the next couple of days. Will be interesting to see if they’re as far along as yours!

When you put foundation in, does it go between the nest and the remaining stores or right on the edge of the box? Also, how many frames of stores is it prudent to leave them with?

 

[gregior]

Wow, I’m just north of you in Cumbria and haven’t been into my hive yet. Hoping to in the next couple of days. Will be interesting to see if they’re as far along as yours!

I would imagine you're a week or so behind us here but i'd recommend getting them inspected pronto, some of mine were desperate for space.

When you put foundation in, does it go between the nest and the remaining stores or right on the edge of the box? Also, how many frames of stores is it prudent to leave them with?

It depends,i put the frames of foundation one from the edge of the box in the weaker colonies ( I find they don't draw it well if it's right against the box wall) The really strong ones I spread the foundation (2 frames) through the middle of the brood box as there were soooo many bees splitting the brood wasn't an issue. I left them with about 15lbs of stores in the top 1/2 brood box but the weather looks good this week so there should be plenty of nectar coming in.

 

[Martimart]

Depending on the weather I'll do my first proper inspection tomorrow or Saturday. Driving down from Derbyshire to London area over the past week, and along the M1 corridor OSR is in good flower, most fields are around 80% in flower around M25. From watching my 2 Hives over last weekend I have seen Drones coming and going, so looking forward to seeing what's inside. If they are over 8 or 9 frames then I guess I'll put on the QX and add a super. I've spent all week behind the scenes at one of the best football stadiums and training grounds in the world and I'm more excited about cracking my Bee's open tomorrow.

 

[user 819]

Took some boxes to an out apiary for tomorrows planned quick first nose in the hives, all busy so boxes will be at hand if required.,

 

[Martimart]

well, wasn’t expecting this when I got home, one of my Hives swarmed. I had a quick peep on 25th March, I didn’t think there was that many Bees to be honest. I’ll inspect both Hives tomorrow as planned!! Shall I put a frame of brood / food from each of my two Hives into the Nuc I’ve brushed the swarm into tomorrow and replace with spare frames of foundation into my hives and add supers?

 

[The Poot]

Finally inspected today. All good. Replaced some dodgy frames and added a super.
Found I hadn’t quite taped a celotex fat dummy well enough last Autumn......doh!

 

[JamezF]

Workers seemed to be flying in greater numbers from my hives at home this morning. Bringing in pollen too. I was thinking about opening them up, but the temperature dropped from over 18.5°C to 13°C in an hour early this afternoon, so I decided against it. The forecast for the next few days is warm but dull. If they're looking busy then I might have a peek.

James

 

[JamezF]

Finally inspected today. All good. Replaced some dodgy frames and added a super.
Found I hadn’t quite taped a celotex fat dummy well enough last Autumn......doh!

That's a bit of a mess. They must have found it tasty though.

James

 

[Erichalfbee]

Moved another two nucs on and United two colonies. Had to squash a lovely looking queen. I hate doing that.

 

[pargyle]

Finally inspected today. All good. Replaced some dodgy frames and added a super.
Found I hadn’t quite taped a celotex fat dummy well enough last Autumn......doh!

That will teach you to use Duct tape inside a hive !... I've been there and got the T-shirt. Use this stuff in future ...

https://www.toolstation.com/aluminium-foil-tape/p97723

 

[Somerford]

Spent the afternoon checking 25 colonies - and came back with a list of kit to put on them tomorrow including supers, double broods, and other equipment to replace old or repairable kit..

24 of the colonies were on 9 seams of bees with full brood boxes…and a few were double broods from over winter and they were rammed…

my advice to anyone south of the M4 is get into your colonies this weekend as they are quite far ahead and it won’t take much for them to make swarming preparations.

A busy weekend ahead !

KR
S

 

[Martimart]

Spent the afternoon checking 25 colonies - and came back with a list of kit to put on them tomorrow including supers, double broods, and other equipment to replace old or repairable kit..

24 of the colonies were on 9 seams of bees with full brood boxes…and a few were double broods from over winter and they were rammed…

my advice to anyone south of the M4 is get into your colonies this weekend as they are quite far ahead and it won’t take much for them to make swarming preparations.

A busy weekend ahead !

KR
S

mine swarmed today. Shocked is a understatement! Now got them in a Nuc box.

 

[Wilco]

well, wasn’t expecting this when I got home, one of my Hives swarmed. I had a quick peep on 25th March, I didn’t think there was that many Bees to be honest. I’ll inspect both Hives tomorrow as planned!! Shall I put a frame of brood / food from each of my two Hives into the Nuc I’ve brushed the swarm into tomorrow and replace with spare frames of foundation into my hives and add supers?

Let the swarm be apart from feeding or if worried put in one frame of eggs/larvae. Check the hives for QCs and make sure the one they swarmed from only has one QC.

 

[drex]

You are all bunging on supers and have swarming bees. Here on the NE Essex coast, all of mine are slow to build. Not worried as they are all the same and this year there is no OSR nearby . Peeved that I am away for a few days and cannot use this warm spell for first proper inspection

 

[Amari]

You are all bunging on supers and have swarming bees. Here on the NE Essex coast, all of mine are slow to build. Not worried as they are all the same and this year there is no OSR nearby . Peeved that I am away for a few days and cannot use this warm spell for first proper inspection

That's strange Drex because I'm only about 50m NW of you and my hives are bulging, second supers added to most. OSR must be the explanation.

 

[Moobee]

First full inspection yesterday and last years small cast swarm is going like a train. 7 full frames of brood and 5 of stores across a double brood box. Added a super as we have OSR locally for the first time in a few years.

 

[Swarm]

Nice to spot my 2019 queens today