Transferred my rammed six frame nuc into a national brood box. It was really, really full, so the bees I had seen outside on Sunday morning probably were unable to get in, but as under a buddleia, were well catered for.
Very good natured this swarm (at the moment at least) and coped well with my cack handed and sore backed transfer into the national. Full of brood, stores and pollen, they now have four more frames of foundation to draw out. Whacked a dummy in as I'd not got another frame, popped the crown board on and closed up.
Quite confused by the end were some of them, though the entrance had moved only about a foot and was in largely the same orientation.
Looked in 'colony 2' to see lots of drones, drone brood and little stores. And no HM. Will wait and see if this turns out to be a Q getting used to her pipework.
Colony 1 doing OK. Still a bit feisty, but not as angry. Almost two full supers and no doubt a good deal of stores downstairs as well. Didn't bother breaking the brood, as there are numbers of bees and plenty of pollen going in. I don't need to see it, they don't like me going in, so I didn't. Everyone's a winner.
Added another super (all foundation, alas) under the other two as I will be away from Saturday until the following Thursday.
Lovely evening in the apiary, left just as the sun was setting.
. But the other side needs sunglasses and headache pills these days.
