What did you do in the Apiary today?

[MrMouse]

Very brave - inspecting bees with a bare midriff !

Hah an accidental one!
Angry bees (raining) but needs must.

Wearing a jacket rather than my normal full suit. Rode up to expose a little too much and one got underneath the hem. Lesson learnt

 

[rolande]

Finman always use to say two weeks before charges queen cells was the time frame

Finman said lots of 'stuff', that certainly sounds like a direct quote.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Finman said lots of 'stuff', that certainly sounds like a direct quote.

I think he means that the decision to swarm is made two weeks before the bees start queen cells

 

[Garry R]

Amongst many other things I re-marked this lady

I once remarked on a lady and now she's my wife.

 

[madasafish]

19C!!!
Inspected all my nucs, quick cursory glance at production hives.
Drones in most.
One nuc with capped supercedure QC. (Q seen last visit 2 weeks ago )
Three to be split: did one with overwintered Q, other two will have to wait,
Added frame of bees and capped brood to one weak one. (Air freshener instant result)
Production hive with two year old Q to be requeened-- 5 frames bees.
Most of others with supers 1 or 2 in hope of a string flow.
Three very strong on 2 supers.

Local pest controller (complete with new super vac and fan assisted to keep bees cool) delivered one cutout + comb brood + stores at 6pm .. Hived by 6.15pm as due to go to Beekeeping meeting at 6.30pm. Fed this am. Destined for allotments if Qright. - Possibly.

 

[JamezF]

I think he means that the decision to swarm is made two weeks before the bees start queen cells

That's the kind of statement that requires justification

James

 

[rolande]

I think he means that the decision to swarm is made two weeks before the bees start queen cells

Yes, I imagine that is what he meant although I don't know how he could possibly know with such precision

 

[beeboybee]

Still no First inspection this year...... Currently feeding 4 out of 5 hives.... Sunshine Please.....

 

[BigAshW]

Got out to my first apiary today for a proper look.

Not as bad as I thought it would be.

Of the 8 colonies 2 have swarmed. One I demareed
The others showed no sign of swarming just dry cups but the supers were filling nicely so third box went on them.

The bees did not appreciate me poking around with a thunder storm coming and I took a few hits through the suit.
I'll go through the rest on Monday when I get back from hols which will hopefully get me onto a 7 day routine again.

The forest apiary is next on the list but that one is always a month behind the first it seems so hopefully will be ok.

I'm glad I use commercial brood boxes. I think the extra space has helped me out this year.

 

[Martimart]

Last inspected about 2 weeks ago, last weekend was very cold and wet so left them alone. Out of 3 hives the one that was QR but a bit uppity has now got 4 supercedure QC's and had a couple of swarm cells just starting which I removed, add a super and let them get on with the supercedure. Of the other 2 added second super to both, no QC, okay for space and food. Drones now in all 3, I might consider splitting 2 at the next inspection. Just happy to get all 3 hives through winter and again pretty much no varroa found. Also it's going to be my first year of not putting queen excluders on the hives so looking forward to seeing how that goes.

 

[Swarm]

Last inspected about 2 weeks ago, last weekend was very cold and wet so left them alone. Out of 3 hives the one that was QR but a bit uppity has now got 4 supercedure QC's and had a couple of swarm cells just starting which I removed, add a super and let them get on with the supercedure. Of the other 2 added second super to both, no QC, okay for space and food. Drones now in all 3, I might consider splitting 2 at the next inspection. Just happy to get all 3 hives through winter and again pretty much no varroa found. Also it's going to be my first year of not putting queen excluders on the hives so looking forward to seeing how that goes.

They are all swarm cells, I would take some action if I were you.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

the one that was QR but a bit uppity has now got 4 supercedure QC's and had a couple of swarm cells

nope - they have six swarm cells, by the time you get in there again, they will probably have gone (the bees, not the QC's)

 

[Martimart]

nope - they have six swarm cells, by the time you get in there again, they will probably have gone (the bees, not the QC's)

Blimey. Okay back and split them tomorrow? Or maybe the horse has bolted. They was all looking not far off emerging and that was Tuesday. I can put some frames in a mini Nuc? Is that what you would do?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Blimey. Okay back and split them tomorrow? Or maybe the horse has bolted. They was all looking not far off emerging and that was Tuesday. I can put some frames in a mini Nuc? Is that what you would do?

if they haven't swarmed by the time you get back to them, nuc the queen with a frame of brood, food and laying space then reduce the QC's in the hive down to one open one, mark, then go back in a week to remove any emergency QCs

 

[Martimart]

if they haven't swarmed by the time you get back to them, nuc the queen with a frame of brood, food and laying space then reduce the QC's in the hive down to one open one, mark, then go back in a week to remove any emergency QCs

Thank you

 

[Wilco]

Inspected a few sites but bees weren't happy. Assume it's weather related, my heart wasn't in it either! Three hives making swarm prep, one split made, spent over an hour looking for Q in a second one including sieving through the excluder but to no avail. Stores have significantly increased since last week and eggs present some I'm hard pressed to believe she's gone. Q excluder put under the brood just in case... Third one I need to return to tomorrow with a nuc box.

 

[user 819]

it seems that people have conflated presence of drones to be a sign of swarming on this forum now.

It appears so and pannicking starts in to wanting to split the colony, instead of working with the bees and going with the flow.

 

[gregior]

Inspected one I have in a mates garden it was strong last time I ckecked it a week ago so was expecting to see cells today. It's an incredibly strong brood 1/2 and had brood on 20 out of 22 frames but no swarm cells! Last week there was 5lbs of honey over the 2 supers it was up to 35lbs today! Super calm bees too,if all my colonies were this good i'd be a very happy bunny!

 

[Jack00scarecrow]

feed some nucs, banked a few virgin queens, panicked at the lack of stores. will it ever warm up?

 

[SWEET]

First grafts started yesterday, quick check today - decent start.