What did you do in the Apiary today?

[JWF]

Gave my colonies their first full inspection of the year.

1 colony had a DLQ which was from a late night towards the end of last summer. Found the queen wandering round looking very healthy, but she got the boot treatment and the colony was united with a small colony which had a 2018 queen.

3 colonies were a good size (6 or 7 14*12 frames of BIAS and plenty of bees) and these were each given a super. The OSR is in bloom here and they seem to have found it so they may well need another super next week if the weather stays warm.

Of the 2 smaller colonies, one was united and the other left. The second one will get a frame of emerging brood Next Week to give them a boost.

 

[wightbees]

I went to look at two new apairy sites today there's a gate to be made so I have access to a nice little sheltered spot. This will hopefully support 15 colonies. The second is good access, so just a case of adding bees

 

[madasafish]

Jenkins are you this rude face to face? I have a lot to learn but two years back I made the decision to learn none of it from you, because of your uncivil tone on this site time and again.

I was taught by a genuine expert to expect a supercedure cell usually central on a frame. The twice - just twice - I have had supercedure, that is where the cell was formed. This is my background to the bollox.

In my limited experience - not in centre of frame...right hand down a bit..

 

[JWF]

Forgot to say that the second smaller colony had a QC with the end neatly cut open. No sign of a queen, though there was a small amount of BIAS.

 

[simonforeman]

Went to Lincoln bee auction today... over 600 lots of equipment and 41 lots of live bees in nucs and full hives. Allot of people there.

Some items were going for far too much to think about buying but there were some bargains to be had.

Came away with a few bits but bank account still intact.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Really warm here today so inspected my three. All good after Winter.
Two still had good stores. One had a lot of drone cells, but not only drone cells, so will need to keep a check on her.
One hive showed dampness at the top - evicted several slugs - this is a pine hive the others (cedar) were fine. Also some mould on some frames.
Removed nadired super and placed above QX.
Clearly got a flow on here - rape now in full flower and a lot of blackthorn and wild cherry in flower.
All three now have a super to fill, so hopefully it's all systems go.
Started moving one hive across the garden. Some confusion but all bees found their way in eventually.
Saw three queen wasps - one sheltering in a poly bait hive I added frames to.

 

[Harley1]

I set up a bait hive and within two minutes had attracted a Queen wasp. Not really what I had in mind.

 

[Nordicul]

Hi All

Five minutes ago, completed a 120 foot, slow move of two hives across my garden to a much better new apiary site in a field of brambles and willow. Now having a whisky to celebrate yea!

Apart from a couple of stings pretty uneventful. Though another couple of lessons learned. Only moved them on flying days. On good flying days I would sometimes move them twice. When moving them parallel to one another no issues but when because of the geography I had to move them Indian style I lost a lot of foragers into the hive behind. It remains to be seen how the depleted hive develops.

PS Move started 22nd February

 

[Millet]

Checked fondant on a nuc and that was it..the weather has gone half normal for this time of the year and it is Baltic yet again..glad I stuck with my gut instinct and never opened any brood boxes up during this unusual warm spell..back to mid may me thinks..

 

[Murox]

Well it was a gorgeous morning with a high of 14C. by the time I got around to do a first inspection the cloud had rolled in and temps plunged to 8 or9C in the breeze - I didn't do it of course. They still have some fondant on and I have seen pollen being carried in. So I just completed a 'course' of vapping , only found a couple on the board.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Swarms out in London: heard of a large prime in South Woodford on Friday, another in Enfield about ten days ago, and one passed down Well Street, Hackney, on Saturday afternoon. I had no bait hive with the colonies on the roof of The Gun pub in Well Street, and it passed on.

Full inspections are in full swing and supers on everywhere. Seems like the season is at least four weeks ahead, and even at an apiary this afternoon in west Surrey, bees chocka with brood. Supered the lot, and will double-brood the singles next week (a little behind with frame production).

 

[EdNewman]

Did my first check of the year. Two hive nice and full with lots of fresh stores so added a super (maybe a little early). The third hive seems to be suffering from damp, had tipped forwarded a bit and was low to the ground anyway. It's about half as full of bees as the other two hives and I didn't see the queen and too dull to see eggs, so left them be and fingers crossed.

 

[manek]

First inspection of the year - and the news is all bad. I'm down to one colony, and in the last 4-5 weeks, I'd estimate, the queen either died or failed. No brood, no eggs, just stores. And about 10% of the normal size of colony.

Is it worth my while acquiring a queen or are they too far gone? I'm inclined to think that by the time a queen is introduced and starts laying, there won't be many bees left.

 

[JohnRB]

Called out to a swarm on Saturday, homed in a nuc in isolation apiary Sunday, checked out today and they have drawn comb so fed them sugar solution. Not sure I want to keep a queen that swarms this early. Once I've got them settled I'll consider requeening. Location South of Oxford

 

[madasafish]

First inspection of the year - and the news is all bad. I'm down to one colony, and in the last 4-5 weeks, I'd estimate, the queen either died or failed. No brood, no eggs, just stores. And about 10% of the normal size of colony.

Is it worth my while acquiring a queen or are they too far gone? I'm inclined to think that by the time a queen is introduced and starts laying, there won't be many bees left.

There are queens available in the UK for immediate delivery.. If you placed the remaining bees in a poly nuc to minimise space and added a queen, you might be lucky. Or not.. In by Saturday, laying next week - current bees may all be dead by the time brood emerges - or not be enough to keep them warm)

( I have just united - for someone else - a VERY strong Q+ mini nuc with a hive in similar circumstances to what you describe. Hopefully it will survive. BUT the Mini nuc had enough bees to fill two National brood frames..and had 4 frames of brood which transferred as well - - so the hive should survive. )

 

[DaveG23]

Swarms out in London: heard of a large prime in South Woodford on Friday, another in Enfield about ten days ago, and one passed down Well Street, Hackney, on Saturday afternoon. I had no bait hive with the colonies on the roof of The Gun pub in Well Street, and it passed on.

Full inspections are in full swing and supers on everywhere. Seems like the season is at least four weeks ahead, and even at an apiary this afternoon in west Surrey, bees chocka with brood. Supered the lot, and will double-brood the singles next week (a little behind with frame production).

Eric, how long have you had bees on the roof of The Gun? Until I moved to Ireland I lived just around the corner, I never did get round to getting a hive on our little roof terrace, wish I had.

How well do the bees do there? I suppose the 2 large parks nearby must be of benefit.

 

[mike99]

Added another tub of fondant to my hive. They are bringing in pollen but the forecast is for single figures for the next week.

 

[Goran]

All exploded.. The bees, the flowers, the pollen, the nectar.. All the mountain is white... in flowers not the snow.. In sundown, the smell is sooo seducing ( wild cherries, wild plums, wild pears, soon will start wild apples).. Domestic pears also opened and as rarity bees go after them also, all went nuts and bees are everywhere and are very calm as never in spring till now.. Some already laid up 8 frames of brood and went down and another 4 frames laid. To don't be mistaken, not whole frame - with arches of stores around. The work with bees is AWESOME.. Calm bees, sunny, warm and fruit scent increased at the apiary. Black locust flower clumps at some places half cm long..
Back to the real world:
Bees didn't manage to sell, no one want to buy.. No people.. Seems again I am punished to extract honey which will hardly sell.. when at same time all other work will fall on me.. the more the merrier..

 

[enrico]

Goran, wonderful story, love listening to your love of the countryside and the bees and then I feel so sorry for you when your honey won't sell. I could sell it ten times over here......
Chin up as we say in England!
All the best for this year
E

 

[Anduril]

Called out to a swarm on Saturday, homed in a nuc in isolation apiary Sunday, checked out today and they have drawn comb so fed them sugar solution. Not sure I want to keep a queen that swarms this early. Once I've got them settled I'll consider requeening. Location South of Oxford

If a beekeeper is feeding too much and there is no room for the queen to lay, then this is one reason for early swarming. Other variables to consider as well.