What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Erichalfbee]

How much coffee/honey did you go for? Will be extracting some spring honey next week, so might give it a go too.

Half a jar strong espresso beans top up with honey. Turn upside down a couple of times a day for a week. Strain

 

[MrGoat]

Strange week.

Found the two buckfast queens I bought and introduced to 2 queenless colonies 3 weeks ago were no longer in the hives..... Annoyed.... Friend at work said he had 2 AMM Queens which would get me sorted for a bit - they both died in their cages after a few hours - he didn't put in any attendants for some reason!! ( FFS!!)

Came home tonight to find two swarms had taken up residence in some of the swarm traps I set up around the field and shed. One seems to be a prime, the other a cast.

My two main hives are filling their supers very quick which is great as long as they get no ideas they should give us a decent return

 

[Nannysbees]

My wife bought me 2 BMH queens for my birthday. First time of buying in. I introduced them as per Lawrence instructions ( Q - for a week). Removed tabs a week ago. Both queens roaming happily and have eggs already. One of them is quite small ( Buckfast) but is laying OK . Is this a Buckfast trait as she is much smaller than my home breds?

Our buckfasts are really big

 

[Nannysbees]

Extracted one super from our golden hive Rosie, the others are all over the shop!!!! Beautiful tasting honey, first spring harvest ever, absolutely delighted. Waiting list from last year, all 44 jars sold already.

 

[nettle]

Inspections today. Removed a QC with an egg from my good hive, so will be keeping an eye on that one. They aren't bringing much in, so will keep an eye on the food situation also.

First inspection of my new colony following an artificial swarm (the method when you can't find the queen)... to say I'm confused is an understatement. I'll do a thread on it so I'm not clogging this one with questions.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Checked the swarm that arrived in the bait hive on May 8
Little black bees. 8 14x12 frames solid with brood apart from an arc of pollen and food above.
Took QX off to give them more room.

 

[Dutchman]

Checked my seven splits that I left with a queen cell a month ago, 4 had eggs, three had polished cells waiting. All good

 

[Garry R]

Nice swarm into my bait hive which was set up 2 days ago. Used one frame of stores. one frame of oldish drawn comb and one of foundation. Used about 4 drops of tea tree oil and within an hour there were bees arriving and thought it was robbing but a prime swarm arrived today about 3 pm - bit windy and not overly warm.. Added more frames and a quick peep in shows they are over 8 frames now. BUT I want to add a super of Ross Rounds which in the past I have put on top of a full hive but were completely ignored. Maybe a big, new swarm might do the trick - any comments to improve the chances of success.?

 

[Moobee]

Nice swarm into my bait hive which was set up 2 days ago. Used one frame of stores. one frame of oldish drawn comb and one of foundation. Used about 4 drops of tea tree oil and within an hour there were bees arriving and thought it was robbing but a prime swarm arrived today about 3 pm - bit windy and not overly warm.. Added more frames and a quick peep in shows they are over 8 frames now. BUT I want to add a super of Ross Rounds which in the past I have put on top of a full hive but were completely ignored. Maybe a big, new swarm might do the trick - any comments to improve the chances of success.?

Ross Rounds?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Nice swarm into my bait hive which was set up 2 days ago. Used one frame of stores. one frame of oldish drawn comb and one of foundation. Used about 4 drops of tea tree oil and within an hour there were bees arriving and thought it was robbing but a prime swarm arrived today about 3 pm - bit windy and not overly warm.. Added more frames and a quick peep in shows they are over 8 frames now. BUT I want to add a super of Ross Rounds which in the past I have put on top of a full hive but were completely ignored. Maybe a big, new swarm might do the trick - any comments to improve the chances of success.?

My latest swarm drew a box of 14x12 frames and filled them with brood in a month. Do you think they will draw wax and start filling the super before they make brood? Maybe wait till they have a decent amount of brood and there is a good flow?

 

[Antipodes]

Nice swarm into my bait hive which was set up 2 days ago. Used one frame of stores. one frame of oldish drawn comb and one of foundation. Used about 4 drops of tea tree oil and within an hour there were bees arriving and thought it was robbing but a prime swarm arrived today about 3 pm - bit windy and not overly warm.. Added more frames and a quick peep in shows they are over 8 frames now. BUT I want to add a super of Ross Rounds which in the past I have put on top of a full hive but were completely ignored. Maybe a big, new swarm might do the trick - any comments to improve the chances of success.?

A book I have reckons that prime swarms will be more likely to work them than an established colony (generally) but I've never used rounds or "sections". I would have thought that earlier on they will have a better chance ...before they are needing to feed too much brood. You should have blackberry about in Somerset now (?) and perhaps you could migrate them to a spot where you know there are plentiful supplies if it is not where they are now.

Did you mean tea tree oil? I've only heard of that as a bee repellant.

 

[Garry R]

Yes - tea tree oil!!

 

[Garry R]

Ross Rounds?

Ross Rounds — Ross Rounds & Sundance Pollen Traps


A system for poducing comb honey

 

[Moobee]

Ross Rounds — Ross Rounds & Sundance Pollen Traps


A system for poducing comb honey

Ah thanks! Thought it was a random autocorrect !

 

[Do224]

Yes - tea tree oil!!

Just goes to show, there’s more than one way to skin a cat. Conventional wisdom also seems to be not to have any stores in a bait hive but it obviously worked for you

 

[StephenT]

Gave one of my hives a frame of stores yesterday as they had none in brood area and a minimal amount in the super. This was a weak hive that we re-queened just over a month ago and now they have shed loads of brood to feed.

 

[JamezF]

Did a bit of tidying up when the rain allowed. Peered into the entrance of one of the hives earlier this evening to find huge numbers of eyes peering back at me. No idea if they were just spreading out in the hive to keep cool or if they actually wanted to be out flying but couldn't find their wellies. I know they're not short of space. They were quite content just to sit there and watch me though.

James

 

[Nannysbees]

Went in to check the test frame, only found one drawn queen cell not yet capped. Thought there would have been a lot more, is this unusual?

 

[Wilco]

Went in to check the test frame, only found one drawn queen cell not yet capped. Thought there would have been a lot more, is this unusual?

They and you only need one. Gives you a diagnosis and the treatment.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

a day spinning yesterday...spring crop from out apiary...whilst listening to TMS, then tennis