What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Moobee]

My overwintering nuc at home has been incredibly busy with a lot of bees spilling out at every opportunity. A quick check yesterday revealed the top feeder stuffed with bees and virtually all the fondant gone. Disturbingly, what appears to be some low level CBPV with wandering disorientated bees on the slate board in front of the entrance with other bees nibbling at them.
Decided to open up and there were 4 frames of brood, the other two frames had plenty of stores and the box was very full, no obviously shiny bees, but decided to hive them with 5 frames of drawn comb and a block of fondant over a crownboard and hope the extra space sorts this out...

 

[Curly green finger's]

My overwintering nuc at home has been incredibly busy with a lot of bees spilling out at every opportunity. A quick check yesterday revealed the top feeder stuffed with bees and virtually all the fondant gone. Disturbingly, what appears to be some low level CBPV with wandering disorientated bees on the slate board in front of the entrance with other bees nibbling at them.
Decided to open up and there were 4 frames of brood, the other two frames had plenty of stores and the box was very full, no obviously shiny bees, but decided to hive them with 5 frames of drawn comb and a block of fondant over a crownboard and hope the extra space sorts this out...

I would of dummied them down to 8/9frames giving them a frame of comb each side for the queen to lay in as not to contribute to any transfer stress it’s getting colder the end of next week.

 

[pargyle]

My overwintering nuc at home has been incredibly busy with a lot of bees spilling out at every opportunity. A quick check yesterday revealed the top feeder stuffed with bees and virtually all the fondant gone. Disturbingly, what appears to be some low level CBPV with wandering disorientated bees on the slate board in front of the entrance with other bees nibbling at them.
Decided to open up and there were 4 frames of brood, the other two frames had plenty of stores and the box was very full, no obviously shiny bees, but decided to hive them with 5 frames of drawn comb and a block of fondant over a crownboard and hope the extra space sorts this out...

I'd be surprised if it was CBPV ... I see bees on my landing boards regularly just wandering about, cleaning up bits of pollen and generally clearing up. Were there a lot of dead bees on the floor ? With four frames of brood at this time of the season they sound healthy - and with a couple of frames of stores, some pollen and nectar coming in - I'd have let them be for a couple of weeks and why would you be putting on more fondant .. there's enough in two frames to keep them going and it's probably not really warm enough for them to really expand into 5 more frames. If it was CBPV the extra space won't do anything for them and if it's not CBPV the extra space could actually hinder brood rearing.

 

[Moobee]

I would of dummied them down to 8/9frames giving them a frame of comb each side for the queen to lay in as not to contribute to any transfer stress it’s getting colder the end of next week.

I've never had the need for insulated dummies - that's my next job then!

 

[Moobee]

I'd be surprised if it was CBPV ... I see bees on my landing boards regularly just wandering about, cleaning up bits of pollen and generally clearing up. Were there a lot of dead bees on the floor ? With four frames of brood at this time of the season they sound healthy - and with a couple of frames of stores, some pollen and nectar coming in - I'd have let them be for a couple of weeks and why would you be putting on more fondant .. there's enough in two frames to keep them going and it's probably not really warm enough for them to really expand into 5 more frames. If it was CBPV the extra space won't do anything for them and if it's not CBPV the extra space could actually hinder brood rearing.

The bees behaviour didn't look 'normal' and it was the constant nibbling by the other bees that rang alarm bells (I had CBPV a few years ago in one of my out apiary hives). No dead bees on the floor and no shiny bees so thought I may have caught it early as the nuc was incredibly full. My research at the time suggested that CBPV exists in low levels and is exacerbated by overcrowding, hence giving them more space.
I only added the fondant (small block in a takeaway container) as there is precious little in bloom here to provide nectar - the bloody council decided to decimate the hedges in January so not even any blackthorn. I'll do as Curly suggested and make up a fat dummy to reduce the vacant space.

 

[user 819]

My experience is one instinctivily knows that some thing is a foot with CBPV from opening the colonyand the bees reaction and movement on the top bars.

 

[Macbear]

Although it feels more than 15C , and both colonies clearly doing plenty of foraging [yellow, orange and whitish pollen] and other flights at 1000, I'm leaving well alone. Yes, the fliers may appreciate more than the current smaller entrance reducer aperture, today, but the forecast is colder and wetter from tomorrow. This afternoon is already noticeably cooler, and I tend to do most of my hive work in the early afternoon, so I feel all seems well enough.

 

[LGDeane]

I was about to suggest that people who take aspirin daily don't suffer as many heart attacks or strokes because the aspirin kills them first

James

Yep! Its not unusual for the medicine to kill!

 

[Moobee]

I would of dummied them down to 8/9frames giving them a frame of comb each side for the queen to lay in as not to contribute to any transfer stress it’s getting colder the end of next week.

Made up two & popped them either end, taking 3 frames out.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Made up two & popped them either end, taking 3 frames out.

Nice what’s the plan now ?
You’ll need to keep an eye them over the next week or two.

 

[Moobee]

Nice what’s the plan now ?
You’ll need to keep an eye them over the next week or two.

They’re in the garden so see them most days & can check activity at the entrance. All being well, I think I will aim to inspect in mid April when it’s warmed up a bit hopefully.

 

[Nannysbees]

Lots of lovely pollen going in today when the sun came out
Lots of cappings under the hives

 

[Murox]

I thought about looking this morning, then , shortly after, now its just and

 

[gregior]

Took 8 empty 14x12's to the new apiary site ready for putting spring splits in which judging by the way the bees are progressing won't be too long. I've had a quick look at most of mine now and apart from 1 loss (nosema i think) they are looking very good, all having nicely laying queens and ranging from 4 to 8 frames of brood. The mild weather this week has really allowed them to pile the pollen and even a little nectar in.
There was an abandoned colony at my new site that hasn't been opened for a couple of years,the combs were a bit of a mess but not too bad. Saw the Q and 4 frames of brood but noticed a lot of the young bees had DWV they have a good temprament so will treat with apivar and try to save them.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Moved a nuc stuffed with bees into a full size box.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Set up a new base for a couple of hives to be relocated to take advantage of the OSR on the other side of the hedge. This is the first time for 4 years that there has been OSR near this apiary.

 

[Antipodes]

Set up a new base for a couple of hives to be relocated to take advantage of the OSR on the other side of the hedge. This is the first time for 4 years that there has been OSR near this apiary.
View attachment 39277

Nice Neil.
Looks like a bit of Hawthorn coming into leaf?

 

[markb2603]

Nuc’d a small hive that I had assumed was queenless and dwindling but to my surprise, while only a small amount of capped brood, larvae and eggs on 2 frames when I investigated. Given the size I put it in a poly nuc in the hope it’ll be able to regulate the temperature better.

 

[MrMouse]

Beautifully nice day in Dorset today. 16 degrees, ‘short sleeve’ warm.
Took the opportunity to nip into my double decker nuc and I’m very glad I did - completely stores bound. With eggs laid in bits of brace comb etc. Drone brood between the two boxes. 5.5 frames BIAS.

Put them into a national deep and swapped out 2 stores frames for foundation (no drawn comb) and flanked the brood nest with them.

 

[Nottmnewbee]

I recently moved house and now have space for my own apiary in the garden!! So a couple of days back I moved both my hives and the couple of overwintered nukes into a nice space tucked away in the garden. A day later when it hit 17 degrees I did my first inspection. Brood in all stages and a decent amount of capped brood, found all the queens too. The nukes look to be doing very well (in poly). But I was v happy all the hives seemed to make it through. There was also nectar in all the hives so they are getting it from somewhere, I’ll probably still add some syrup to make sure they have enough.