What did you do in the Apiary today?

[dpearce4]

Along the side of the A27 at goodwood there are 2 full fields of OSR in full bloom, we have masses of cherry and hawthorn out all along the coast between chichester and brighton. Mad weather here, car temp guage said 18c at 1pm. want to do my bees but neibours out in garden having BBQ, arrggg.

 

[Chris Luck]

Along the side of the A27 at goodwood there are 2 full fields of OSR in full bloom, we have masses of cherry and hawthorn out all along the coast between chichester and brighton.

Quite remarkable really, no chance of that for a month here and the Goat willow has only just started to show and how far south from you do I live? On the map between La Rochelle and Limoges.

First of the spring cut outs to perform later this week.

Chris

 

[Gardenbees]

Ridiculously warm in the apiary today, which is a suntrap but even so...

Took the opportunity to do a first inspection. I only overwintered two hives, and was again surprised at how differently the two colonies behave. Both are doing well, though, fortunately, and I was pleasantly surprised at how good-natured they were. Both queens seem to have survived OK, and the hives smell nice (a good first inspection sign in my experience).

One had several slabs of crystallised stores, which I bruised. They immediately started nibbling and tidying at it before I'd even put it back into the hive. They had 6 frames with brood on (including some sealed), but only smallish amounts on each frame - just under a half. All seemed healthy and the hive was full of busy bees... they are a little short of space, though, if they don't get cracking on the stores.

My biggest colony has eaten nearly everything, but are bringing in lots of pollen and have 7 generous frames of brood, plus a small arc of new honey, interestingly. They had just half a frame of older stores, and a licked-clean, empty fondant bag. Again, lots of bees. These are the ones which will starve if the food doesn't start coming in soon... Seeing as both seem quite healthy, I gave them a frame of bruised stores from the other hive, in exchange for a nice, polished, empty one. They immediately crowded onto it and started on the food.

I'm hoping to avoid the very early swarming we had last year, which was mostly due to them rapidly filling up with early honey and running out of space. I managed to catch them in time but they weren't at all happy... However, getting food/space levels right in these unpredictable spring conditions is a real pain: will it go up to 80F again in April, or will it snow heavily like it did a couple of years ago - or maybe both?!

 

[Moggs]

All sorts of talk of keepers opening hives. It's still early but if you really must pry off the lids, don't forget the golden rule of having a good reason!

'Just having a look' is poor justification. One of the first inspections of the season must be to check for disease. This requires singleness of purpose and a highly trained eye, looking into all the cells for all sorts of problems; there is a wealth of information around. In other words, don't look for healthy bees and brood, look for sick bees and brood!

To my mind, it's still too early and not consistently warm enough to subject the bees to such an intrusion.

 

[Gardenbees]

Mine had queen cells well-developed at the end of March last year, so I've broken my usual habits and started things a bit earlier this year. (Probably get snow for weeks now...)

Just discovered that I got stung earlier today! On the, ahem, chest in fact.
I don't remember it happening, but one of the bees must have targeted the tightest bit of bee suit and managed to get through without me noticing...

 

[Queens59]

Unfortunately the tightest bit of my beesuit is elsewhere...

 

[Silly Bee]

Gluteus Maximus?

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Gluteus Maximus?

Wasn't he in the third Praetorian Guard?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Spotted my first Bombus terrestris today
Huge loud and wonderful

 

[Black Comb]

One here too.

 

[susbees]

In assorted travels this week seen some cherry out and lots of blackthorn but neither imminent here.

Some willow and hazel pollen but the tree that was dripping with bees yesterday was the large alder in the apiary field.

Did some fondant checks on the bottom set of hives. The little s*ds in the bottom hive are up for requeening. The other hive that was snotty in the autumn seem to have settled but only inspections will tell. No stings yet...won't be long though.

 

[Rosti]

18'C here yesterday pm!
Split wintering to give contingency this year. Closed up 2 hives and a Nuc (wintering at home) last night at 7pm (still 10'C !). Got them loaded at 07:30 this morning (4'C). Transported to out apiary, installed, checked over all hives; topped up fondant on 2 and home for 09:00 (11'C) [4x14-12 1xNat 1x14-12-6FNuc]. Already out and active when I left them. Hazel, snopdrop crocus and willow all coming in.

The way things are going may well not bother with stimulant or pollen patties. Would have started next weekend but now reviewing the necessisty. Quandry is now when to combine back to 4 productive hives? Nice problem to have given I was reflecting on high winter losses this time last year.

Good load of rape round me this year (looks pretty forward) with a quantity of field beans to follow on. The season has potential!

 

[Ed Woods]

All four hives very active with dozens of bees coming and going. Won't inspect until the end of the month when the Queen excluders will go back on. Pleased that they appear to have survived the winter - inspection will show if the Queen is up and laying and plenty of brood. Found dozens of drowned bees in the chickens water feeders this Morning so have put down a tray of water filled with chalk lumps to give them an alternative water source.

 

[rink123]

Open them up yesterday for a fondant check , All of the fondant gone lots of bees now. on all frames , gave them more fondant lots of pollen going in, Hazel, snowdrop crocus and willow very busy bees now with this warm weather

 

[Cazza]

Resisted the strong urge to crack a few hives open.
After some thought I decided this would only be for self gratification rather than real purpose. I can guess from observation at the entrance and via varroa tray + hefting what is going on inside the hives.
I will be patient and wait a few weeks to do QE + floor change all in one.
Cazza

 

[MandF]

Due to the balmy weather here in London today I am planning to put them on a clean stand & floor, and remove the bottom super which was full of stores for them to clear over winter.

I also reversed the brood & half, so half at bottom over winter - can anyone see any issues with me reversing this back now? I had planned to do this in the spring, along with some comb change, but doing so now actually makes todays work easier - move existing hive to one side, new stand/floor in its place, move brood (which is at top of current stack) back onto new floor, then move half on. As opposed to lifing both brood&half at same time.

Any thoughts?

 

[MJBee]

MandF - that is the logical way to get the hive into "normal" configuration. Providing the super has not had, or contain, thymolated syrup put it over a queen excluder -the first of many hopefully

 

[MandF]

This will be the brood half, if its empty (bees or stores) I will probably leave it off and add it later when they need it.

 

[Beeforest]

Open them up yesterday for a fondant check , All of the fondant gone lots of bees now. on all frames , gave them more fondant lots of pollen going in, Hazel, snowdrop crocus and willow very busy bees now with this warm weather

Exactly the same for me, mouse guards and chicken wire now off.

 

[gingerbees]

Bit too cold for checking fully up in Cumbria but watched the girls flying yesterday afternoon and bringing back some pollen. Lots of bees in the daffodils and crocus. 10' and drizzle today.