What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Swarm]

Debating whether to add a second super already! There's a little more room in the first super, but I want to keep ahead of them to try and delay swarming.

In terms of filling the super, the central 4 frames were perhaps 50% full of nectar so they're definitely bringing something in now. The other 2 colonies in the same apiary are much further behind.

View attachment 35670

Have you considered more brood space?

 

[Nannysbees]

Quick peek to check for resources today. So..... the hive that went into winter on a brood and a half , we found no queen and no eggs, has a super of drone brood and three charged queen cells, didn't go into the brood box, not sure what to do with that?
The other hive did have a queen going into winter again on a brood and a half. Lots of capped drone, no evidence of worker larvae and no sign of queen not sure what to do with that either?
The other two looking good
Advice gratefully received

 

[W0otz]

Have you considered more brood space?

And that's one of the reasons I regret going 14x12. Double brood would be too much, brood and a half is an abomination.

 

[Ian123]

Quick peek to check for resources today. So..... the hive that went into winter on a brood and a half where we found no queen and no eggs, has a super of drone brood and a charged three charged worn cells, didn't go into the brood box, not sure what to do with that?
The other hive did have a queen going into winter again on a brood and a half. Lots of capped drone, no evidence of worker larvae and no sign of queen not sure what to do with that either?
The other two looking good
Advice gratefully received

I’d suggest there’s laying workers or drone laying queens, in the absence of any small nucs to unite with(I’ve just done 2) I’d simply suggest banging out unfortunately, hoping any bees not on their last legs beg their way into your other hives.

 

[Ian123]

And that's one of the reasons I regret going 14x12. Double brood would be too much, brood and a half is an abomination.

Is there such a thing as to much?

 

[W0otz]

Is there such a thing as to much?

From the bees viewpoint, not really. From my viewpoint, I'm trying to avoid brood frames of stores because 14x12 frames don't fit my extractor!

 

[Newbeeneil]

Did a few inspections of hives that looked busy. Inspected an apiary with one good hive and a dead out (varroa and not many bees). After inspecting I strapped a nuc to a barn as a bait hive for the apiary and as soon as I climbed down the ladder there were half a dozen bees inspecting it, ncluding one with loads of pollen! Was she just having a nose as she passed or do non scouts go scouting while out gathering?

 

[steve1958]

It was a nice sunny day here today. Still only 12°c in the shade.
Not long now.
Sadly I have heard lots of reports of local beekeepers losing bees or Queens this year.
So am even more eager to do some proper inspections
This hobby really does teach patience

 

[Dodge]

Got my car stuck in a field and had to be towed out so will need to handball the two colonies that didn't survive the winter. Oops. Sun may be out but the going is soft to boggy.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Got my car stuck in a field and had to be towed out so will need to handball the two colonies that didn't survive the winter. Oops. Sun may be out but the going is soft to boggy.

Yeah, same thing with me, parked beside the track on the grass and got bogged in….. SOS to SWMBO for a tow! She was not amused!

 

[Moobee]

Waited all morning to see if temperatures would rise from 11 degrees and by 1pm it was lovely & warm in the sun with the bees out hammering the pollen so decided to inspect. Hives looking good with one winning the prize for cleanest floor after winter and they were building comb in the eke, little monkeys! Lots of lovely brood and queens laying in all three.
Unfortunately my late supersedure nuc has either a DLQ or laying workers. Inspected it last so ran out of time to find out which as couldn’t find the queen so will check later this week. Hope it’s the former as will be easier to deal with.

 

[The Poot]

Quick peek to check for resources today. So..... the hive that went into winter on a brood and a half , we found no queen and no eggs, has a super of drone brood and three charged queen cells, didn't go into the brood box, not sure what to do with that?
The other hive did have a queen going into winter again on a brood and a half. Lots of capped drone, no evidence of worker larvae and no sign of queen not sure what to do with that either?
The other two looking good
Advice gratefully received

1 If there are charged queen cells and lots of drones, you could leave them to raise a queen?
2 If you didn’t check the lower box, I’d be inclined to leave alone for a week or two and recheck. I checked the top box of one of mine yesterday, found some stores, capped drone cells, no worker larvae, but did find single eggs in cells amongst cells with stores. Again, I didn’t check the lower box as it was too cool out of direct sunshine.

Information from my association - several reports of folks that have lost their bees - without trace. Just gone, leaving an empty hive!

 

[rolande]

Made frames which will be used for the miller method for queen rearing

Thanks, wasn't sure as you'd also referred to feeding in the same post so you could have been making Miller feeders.

 

[hoggj2000]

Finished building the last super from my Thornes Bees on a Budget National I got last year so that the hive is fully ready. I had hoped to be getting my first bees this year but a change in job means I will be away from home a lot more so may need to delay for another couple of years Still I can carry on absorbing knowledge from you great people until the day arrives!

 

[Norton]

Grafted another 80 cells.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

moved 4 colonies from garden to a different apiary

 

[Antipodes]

Waited all morning to see if temperatures would rise from 11 degrees and by 1pm it was lovely & warm in the sun with the bees out hammering the pollen so decided to inspect. Hives looking good with one winning the prize for cleanest floor after winter and they were building comb in the eke, little monkeys! Lots of lovely brood and queens laying in all three.
Unfortunately my late supersedure nuc has either a DLQ or laying workers. Inspected it last so ran out of time to find out which as couldn’t find the queen so will check later this week. Hope it’s the former as will be easier to deal with.

Nice yellow pollen on their legs.

 

[Moobee]

Nice yellow pollen on their legs.

Mostly from the willow I think.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Lifted first frame of the year. Not looking too shabby.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

First visit to the castle apiary since last October (via their shop to drop off a load of honey ready for the Easter grockle rush) all colonies flying strongly, piling in nectar and pollen and the hives are all a healthy weight.