What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Curly green finger's]

Moved 6 nucs today from a site and all are light one desperately light so they are all having some syrup now!

 

[Sutty]

Amongst many other things I re-marked this lady

 

[Curly green finger's]

Just hived up two nucs and fed 8 nucs one of my nucs has two queens but there are no drones around in any of the hives so it’s take a chance or buy a queen ?

 

[Moobee]

No QC's and , slabs of broods and lots of drones !!!
A prime candidate for a Demeree and a large foraging force for a good flow waiting.

Drones are not a precursor to swarming , otherwise colonies would swarm every other week. The only precursor is a charged QC.

If they start charging the QCs, then they are already in swarm mode? There were a lot of play cups all round the edges of every frame. This colony was quite swarmy last year so I’m thinking I split them now and I can always reunite and have a spare queen for another colony if needed. But agree a demaree might have been better.

 

[Moobee]

Doh!
Was it your BMH queen?

Yes!

 

[Moobee]

I can't seem to see any evidence they are anywhere near about to swarm, or do you just split every colony as soon as they start building up 'just in case?'

No I don’t, but I’ve never seen so many play cups in one colony - on every frame, all round the edges. And this colony was swarmy last year.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

There were a lot of play cups all round the edges

play cups are not queen cells

 

[Swarm]

No I don’t, but I’ve never seen so many play cups in one colony - on every frame, all round the edges. And this colony was swarmy last year.

There are times when you know they will be charged next inspection

 

[Cuckmere couple]

nuc box under a tree in friends garden waiting to see if they all enter the box or back to the tree

 

[Curly green finger's]

There are times when you know they will be charged next inspection

Completely agree! Demaree would of been the thing to do - although there isn’t much of a flow on, @Moobee I think you’ve been proactive on this occasion and keep us updated

 

[Swarm]

Completely agree! Demaree would of been the thing to do - although there isn’t much of a flow on, @Moobee I think you’ve been proactive on this occasion and keep us updated

Possibly, I think it would depend how far down the imminent track they are. From the description, I would not be surprised to find half those cups charged within a few days.
I've had occasions when I've found one or two charged cells and changed their minds by adding extra laying space with another brood box and breaking down the cells but Moobee's colony sound a little more determined.

 

[Fellstoflats]

Another swarm to collect today, at the local Dr's surgery.

 

[robmort]

Lots of bearding on one hive again this morning despite it not being hot weather. Enough space in the hives and no queen cells (2 days ago), open mesh floors. Wonder if they need an extra brood box, despite being 14x12.

 

[Moobee]

Completely agree! Demaree would of been the thing to do - although there isn’t much of a flow on, @Moobee I think you’ve been proactive on this occasion and keep us updated

I think I had that in the back of my mind regarding a Demaree. There is forage - mostly hawthorn (they’re filling supers but not super fast) & weather is set to be patchy again for the next week.

 

[Moobee]

play cups are not queen cells

Well, the weather here has been warm today & apart from overnight storms tonight & occasional patchy rain tomorrow & Friday, is set to be the same for the next week so I would not have been surprised to find them charged on next inspection.

 

[gregior]

Helped inspect 2 new hives a complete novice local farmer had bought last week. Hive 1 single brood 20+ capped q cells, 2 hatches and saw 1 virgin.Found and clipped and marked the Q and put her in a new box of foundation in original site .Destroyed all cells in original box and moved to side. 20 mins later they swarmed,newly clipped Q fell to the grass and bees soon returned,no q cages so just popped her back in the hive and hope she stays put. 2nd hive 10 sealed cells,found the Q and clipped +marked her and destroyed all the cells,will give more space tomorrow but will need splitting too. Good job i was there as the farmer would have been completely lost as to what to do,i was getting pretty confused tbh.
On to my hives and piling in the nectar, cells in 3 out of 11 which were all padgeoned. Busy day!

 

[Fellstoflats]

And another, this time called in by my pest control contact. No time to get to this one, so offered to my BKA- no takers, so onto the BBKA list, and the 6th number took it.

 

[Swarm]

Looks a nice easy one.

 

[MrMouse]

Went to put a spare frame of stores in one of my hives that is booming but rather light - don’t want any starvation issues to arise before weather improves next week.

Took a sting to the belly button. New one for me. Seemingly much worse than the ones to the hands.

Very much looking forward to the better weather on the horizon and the flow it will hopefully bring. Am I being too optimistic re the flow? OSR starting to go over down here in Dorset.

 

[pargyle]

Went to put a spare frame of stores in one of my hives that is booming but rather light - don’t want any starvation issues to arise before weather improves next week.

Took a sting to the belly button. New one for me. Seemingly much worse than the ones to the hands.

Very much looking forward to the better weather on the horizon and the flow it will hopefully bring. Am I being too optimistic re the flow? OSR starting to go over down here in Dorset.

Very brave - inspecting bees with a bare midriff !