Today I revisited the colonies I had a quick look at yesterday afternoon. The water company (I assume) have gone a bit overboard with the bramble clearance, though it looks like they had to, to find a manhole that is still leaking. Unfortunately it's also removed any protection for the garden of the house next door, so I'd best take some honey and make a pre-emptive house call tomorrow. Not that they'll know it's my bees if they do have a problem. I know of at least two feral colonies the other side of their house. But they're bound to assume it's mine....
One colony was doing really well. but the little *****ers had made play cups all over the place. I didn't find a single charged one, but there were easily more than a dozen. There's still plenty of room for the queen to lay, but I might put a super on anyhow. I only realised yesterday that they were on a floor without a vaping rim, so I swapped it out. That got them a bit riled and I had a few followers for the rest of the inspection. Also saw the queen. Most of her red "blob" had worn off, but I decided I'd upset them enough for one day. I'll sort it next time.
The colony that was quiet yesterday only really had two frames of brood, but they were far more active than yesterday evening. I swapped their entire home -- floor, brood box, crown board and roof -- because it was a swarm from last year that arrived when I was running out of kit. The brood box had an entire family of slugs living inside. Hopefully I didn't miss any before I put it in the car.
I had three frame lugs snap on me too, when I was levering the frames sideways against the top bar inside the position of the side bars. One I had to remove completely. The others I'll try to work to the outside of the nest over the next few inspections and swap out.
James