What did you do in the Apiary today?

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Yes ... but no recorded correlation (AFAIK) between drone cells in the hive and imminent swarming ... at any time of the year.

Healthy colonies will aim for a ratio of about 20% drones to worker brood regardless of whether they feel like swarming or not

 

[Erichalfbee]

One of mine has eight frames wall to wall worker brood except the last frame at the front. The side facing the wall is half drone. Have to watch them maybe.

 

[beeno]

Hi all,
I thought the reason people got hung up on drone brood were that they will not swarm without mature drones? So, swarming not an issue until three weeks after drones emerge as a time reference point, loosely speaking. I am referring to the seasonality of drone brood not Apiary Vicinity Matings. Not had drone brood so early in the season myself before.

 

[beeno]

Hi all,
On the question of forage. Yes, there should be enough forage out there at the moment. However, it is still early and one of my colonies need feeding as they have put all their forage into brood! Inspect for stores peeps.

 

[REDWOOD]

Off to super a few hives before work so from the tranquil life of a beekeeper to a desperate attempt to supervise and motivate under paid lunatics

 

[Elaine]

2nd full inspection of the year - had to miss last weekend due to bad weather.

The double brood is doing really well with several frames laid up in the lower box, and will probably need another super by the end of the week. Put a super on one of the other hives. Decieded the experimental hive can manage on it's own for a bit longer - as certainly not running out of room, and still alive as bees bringing in pollen and nectar.

Last to be checked was the hive that had some sacbrood 2 weeks ago, and some half-hearted supercedure cells. The sealed brood had all hatched, and no sign of eggs or lavae on any frame, (didn't see the queen and suspect have may be Q- ) the bees had cleaned out all the cells, so it may be a brood break or no queen, so went back into the big hive to steal a frame of eggs to see what they do with that! They still have plenty of stores, and are foraging, so hopefully there will be enough of this years bees to make good. I don't think there is anything else I can do for this haive at this stage - other than leave them alone for a few weeks.

 

[nikca]

First Inspections

After a month of on-and-off sunshine and flowers, and about 10 days of June weather I thought maybe an inspection was in order... not quite by the book maybe.

First National full stores/9 brood little space/full stores. Few empty play cups. 2 Frames 50% drone. Middle of April. Nice. Super time then.

Middle 14x12 possibly similar but all the extra space of a 14x12 at the bottom/no play cups/few drone. Buttoned up.

End National "hive from Hell" late swarm from MJbee last year about similar percentage full to the 14x12 - so still some breathing space. Still some brood on 9 though - so given that I had 3 full supers of honey off this July swarm last year - I gave them a super too.



At the moment it's peachy!

 

[pargyle]

Well ... Did my first full inspection of the year ... all looking good, stacks of bees, lots of sealed brood. larvae and eggs .. not a huge amount of honey just a couple of frames, fair amount of pollen and (praise be !!) NO QUEEN CELLS ... yet ...

Couldn't find HM ... lots of bees on the frames and didn't want to shake them up too much at this stage. They have built out the two empty frames I put on the end just over a week ago (Didn't open up fully, just slid the dummy along and slotted them in) - good move I think.

Put another couple of empty frames in today so they are up to 17 frames now ... still very well behaved bees and no signs of disease (well - perhaps one cell of what I think may have been chalk brood but that's not surprising after the wet winter).

Quite a few drone cells ... uncapped a fork full but despite a daily drop now of about 10-15 mites no sign of any varroa in the drone cells ? I was expecting to see at least one or two ...

So... some decisions to make in the next week or two ... Split them ? Leave them as a big colony, just keep adding frames and start thinking about making some supers to fit the hive ? My bait hive is going out next week so if I'm lucky I might be a two hiver before May is out ... Sooooo many things to think about !

For anyone not easily bored by bee photos ... here's today's inspection photos.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/99514363@N06/sets/72157643951385343/

Comments welcome ..

PS: I did wonder about the two bits of comb they are building out in the bottom RH corner of Frame 3 - I might be the start of something but it's nothing as yet ...

PPS: just had a closer look at Frame 5 and I think HM is right in the middle dipping her tail into a cell ...

 

[Tom Bick]

Looking good. I rather like your frame counting device.

 

[pargyle]

Looking good. I rather like your frame counting device.

Essential when you have no memory !!

I have the frames numbered in indelible pen on the top of the top bar but I realised the disadvantage of that last year ... so just cut a bit of broom handle up on the RAS today and drilled the holes to solve the problem !!

Need to modify the bit of wire I think ... or find a way of hooking it on rather than over the frame lug -- not too convenient.

 

[Tonyatcwfarm]

Full inspection time today
Amazing that two hives can differ so much
Both wintered as full super over bb
Hive one was slow,2/3 frames with capped brood 3/4 eggs and larvae.i removed 6 frames from the sides of supers winter stores,replaced with undrawn foundation,qx over brood,closed up
Hive 2
was busy from early morning
Removed entrance block to help the congestion
5/6 frames bias,starting to draw out the frames I added last week
Went to remove side frames of super to find 7/8 frames laid up heavily
Guess I'm on brood and a half on that hive
I removed 4 from the outside,replaced with undrawn
Qx added another super,closed up
Definately the busiest iv seen one of my hives in the 2 years iv had them

 

[oliver90owner]

Guess I'm on brood and a half on that hive-

Don't have to be. A Q/E inserted now and it would be back on a single brood in three weeks time.

Then you could demaree with another deep box to help reduce the risk of swarming and perhaps raise the odd queen or two.

RAB

Or you could help out your other colony with some emerging brood.

The possibilities are numerous.

 

[BigAshW]

Had a wander down to my site to check on the swarm I moved there last night and saw lot of busy girls in and out of the nuc box so it looks like they've decided to stay.

My mentors advice is to let them be for a few days and then move them down into the BB.

 

[yeogi75]

got a call from where I have a hive in some ones back garden, that the bees were all over the fence and the air was full of bees , they have been on holiday so could not get to them , had arranged to look after easter but to late , any way shook them into nuc box guess 4/5 lbs bess looked in hive every frame full of brood super full of food , only three stings and a garden full of onlookers .

 

[Heather]

Went to out apiary and split a colony that was on deep brood, BS brood and a super. All FULL...Saw queen, mass of brood in both boxes.
Left the super on the BS with the queen , grabbed another frame of eggs to stick in a 3rd hive (queenless at moment). Hopefully will end with 3 colonies with genes that are wonderful.
Then got a call about 100 bees on a fence. The helpful householder sent a pic on email.. Solitary bees, seems males gathering in the sunshine waiting for the girls to emerge!! A kind local beekeeper called in to reassure them. Joys of internet- saved me a wasted round trip.

 

[Heather]

Today gently transferred Bumble nest from my bird box into apidea nearby. Poor birds really wanting to nest, hovering. Couldn't stand the anxiety they were showing.
Well,birds were there last year. Gazumping not allowed.

 

[Loubee7]

Pargyle, really liked seeing your bee pictures, thank you for sharing!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Today gently transferred Bumble nest from my bird box into apidea nearby. Poor birds really wanting to nest, hovering. Couldn't stand the anxiety they were showing.
Well,birds were there last year. Gazumping not allowed.

That happened to us a couple of years ago. Bumbles in a nest box with a camera.
Wonderful show all summer
We hastily put up another nest box next to it and the blue tits used that....alas no camera though.

 

[TOBY-3652]

Supered 2 more hives and added another super to 4 more

 

[beeno]

I can't believe it, I have marked all my queens. I am sure it is only a temporary state of play though as I also found an egg in a play cup. Mine usually kick off in August! This does not bode well for the season.