What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Wilco]

Obviously missed a cell in one of the outhouse colonies... Small swarm in the garden today so the wife has given me their marching orders. Two colonies and a nuc to go to an out apiary tomorrow morning. Hopefully that's enough to be allowed to keep the others slightly longer...

 

[beeker]

NUC one queen that had an unsealed cell. And checked all the others, two are being requeened with donor eggs, one appears fine at the minute, sealed and should emerge in next day. The other was a few days ahead, and no sign of the cell at all, so they've either tidied up after her, or it's been broken down, guessing that's a waiting game. Does the virgin queen have the same pheromone level? Would a test patch of eggs determine if she's there, or am I best just waiting it out?

Also have my first demaree, all went well last week setting it up, and on checking yesterday, the queen is in the bottom box still, but there don't appear to be any eggs or larvae yet? I did give them a few undrawn sheets, as well as some drawn, she was a prolific layer, could the demaree have upset her, and she's just waiting for things to settle down??

 

[Erichalfbee]

Test frame after three weeks

Queen should be fine downstairs. Mine romp away. Are you sure there are no eggs?

 

[beeker]

Test frame after three weeks

Queen should be fine downstairs. Mine romp away. Are you sure there are no eggs?

Thank you Dani, I'll leave them be for a bit then. I can see the advantages of a demaree at the right time now. Just need to be a bit more organised with moving boxes at inspection time as I can see how things could get mixed up.

As an aside my eyes aren't the best though I should hopefully be seeing a whole new world next week, as having both lenses replaced . Bit of a drastic solution to see eggs , but will halt the deterioration totally. Found myself an amazing surgeon, and the bonus of a week alternative one eyed sightseeing in Prague with my lovely lady while it's being done.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Thank you Dani, I'll leave them be for a bit then. I can see the advantages of a demaree at the right time now. Just need to be a bit more organised with moving boxes at inspection time as I can see how things could get mixed up.

As an aside my eyes aren't the best though I should hopefully be seeing a whole new world next week, as having both lenses replaced . Bit of a drastic solution to see eggs , but will halt the deterioration totally. Found myself an amazing surgeon, and the bonus of a week alternative one eyed sightseeing in Prague with my lovely lady while it's being done.

I'm assuming cataracts? whatever, make sure you take a pair of sunglasses with you. Got some photos here of our trip to Rome shortly after mine were done - I seldom wear sunnies, even when out in Africa and I look like Ben Turpin in most of the pictures!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Found myself an amazing surgeon, and the bonus of a week alternative one eyed sightseeing in Prague with my lovely lady while it's being done.

An excellent combination

 

[beeker]

I'm assuming cataracts? whatever, make sure you take a pair of sunglasses with you. Got some photos here of our trip to Rome shortly after mine were done - I seldom wear sunnies, even when out in Africa and I look like Ben Turpin in most of the pictures!

Yes Emyr, both parents had it done here on NHS, but they were really quite bad before they reached the top of the list. I'm starting to get them, nothing to serious yet. But pre-empting and hopefully cutting out the lack of sight for a few years. Yep, sunnies all sorted, got my googly eyes to go on top of the eye patch too.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Got called out to a lovely big swarm that had landed on a big garden settee thing. They went into the skep beautifully and I popped home to wait until a bit later for the flying bees to go in and collect the skep. Little b*ggers absconded an hour later. It was barely 2pm!

It happens if they don’t want to stay last season it happened to me on the third attempt I used a frame of capped brood which worked a bit different to your situation though.
Also using solid floors helps but your using skeps probably not much help with my suggestions?

I was thinking are casts more likely to abscond?
Was your swarm a prime?

 

[Curly green finger's]

Marking queens this morning and I’ve used some taulk powder inside my gloves also a fresh pair of marigolds .

Last night I put sudo cream on my right hand and rapped it in clingfilm over night the redness has sort of gone a bit.

 

[Moobee]

It happens if they don’t want to stay last season it happened to me on the third attempt I used a frame of capped brood which worked a bit different to your situation though.
Also using solid floors helps but your using skeps probably not much help with my suggestions?

I was thinking are casts more likely to abscond?
Was your swarm a prime?

I didn't see the queen but the bees went readily into the skep once I had put a few big handfuls underneath. The owner of the house said they have a big bees nest in their shed wall nearby that swarms every year so this was probably it. In hindsight, I should have hived them straight away over a queen excluder as any remaining flying bees probably would have returned to the shed.
I'm going to try a cut out of the shed nest next as they look quite easy to get to - about 9 feet off the ground with only paving below. Any good tips?

 

[Moobee]

I checked on my nuc with the introduced queen (Camilla) from 48 hours ago. She was still in the cage with only half the fondant chewed through. Bees seemed calm so gently released her onto a frame and looks like they have accepted her.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Yes Emyr, both parents had it done here on NHS, but they were really quite bad before they reached the top of the list. I'm starting to get them, nothing to serious yet. But pre-empting and hopefully cutting out the lack of sight for a few years. Yep, sunnies all sorted, got my googly eyes to go on top of the eye patch too.

mine were bad - and I was only in my late forties (years at sea staring at the horizon and the reflected sun) I was changing my spectacles prescription every two months and was at the point of considering giving up driving. Luckily the Welsh NHS stepped into the breach and I had both done as a priority.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

First swarm call to my out apiary. Bumblebees. Again.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Swarm into the tree box. It was empty last year so nice to have bees back in the garden

 

[Nannysbees]

Inspected both hives, no eggs in either and no queens!!!!! I think there were a lot of supercedure, my husband thinks swarm. Left one capped queen cell in both. Debating whether to buy two new queens rather than take the risk of the new queens not making it or is there a risk the queens are still lurking!!!!!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Well if there were capped QCs and no eggs I’d put my money on no queen. When did you last look in previously?

 

[Curly green finger's]

Inspected both hives, no eggs in either and no queens!!!!! I think there were a lot of supercedure, my husband thinks swarm. Left one capped queen cell in both. Debating whether to buy two new queens rather than take the risk of the new queens not making it or is there a risk the queens are still lurking!!!!!

Out of interest what was there temper like a week or two ago I’m finding that two weeks before swarming cells are charged the temper of colony’s are different.
If I remember rightly finman use to say something to that effect

 

[The Poot]

Following on from my post yesterday - the swarm appeared settled into their new home.
I went through my two colonies to find out where it had come from. H1 was all good, fullish super being capped, no signs of swarm preps and the queen made an appearance to prove “it was that other lot again”
Gave them a second super and went through H2 and found seven more queen cells. All capped.
Selected one and broke down the rest. Went through again to be sure and reassembled.
Did some pruning, feeling satisfied that there would be no further swarms for now, when the swarm flowed out and settled in exactly the same spot as yesterday.
So recaptured them and added a frame of capped brood with some nectar, and they happily went back in. I saw the queen was among them. So, here’s hoping…

 

[Nannysbees]

Out of interest what was there temper like a week or two ago I’m finding that two weeks before swarming cells are charged the temper of colony’s are different.
If I remember rightly finman use to say something to that effect

Absolutely calm, incredible, both hives, so many things don't add up!!!

 

[Nannysbees]

Well if there were capped QCs and no eggs I’d put my money on no queen. When did you last look in previously?

3 days ago