What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Cuckmere couple]

sorted out a mess

had merged a Q+ nuc over a Q- brood box but in the hope i could go back and unite before too much brace comb built (only left 6 nuc frames in UBB) but ended up leaving it a week and they had filled the box....should have taken some from LBB to pack out Q+ box and avoided messy clean up!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

They seem slow to cap it this year

that's usually a sign of them expecting another dearth - no point in capping stores if they expect to have to eat it soon

 

[philipm]

Bees bringing in loads at the moment bramble and I noticed today the Rosebay Willow herb is in flower.

 

[Moobee]

Run out of supers yesterday so had to use a brood box instead,hopefully the bees will start capping some of the frames soon as one hive is getting too tall for me and my back.

Likewise and getting too heavy to lift!

 

[Nannysbees]

Been away for two weeks, thought I'd prepared for all eventualities . Inspected today two of the hives on double brood. Saw the queen in one, this year's queen. Loads of charged cells. The other no queen but eggs and loads of charged cells. Took down all the cells, just debating what to do!! Supercedure or swarm?

 

[Moobee]

I have a similar problem. They seem slow to cap it this year.

Think mine are too busy bringing it in and storing it! Mind you, they’ve never capped particularly fast. Checked several uncapped frames - all at 18%

 

[Moobee]

Been away for two weeks, thought I'd prepared for all eventualities . Inspected today two of the hives on double brood. Saw the queen in one, this year's queen. Loads of charged cells. The other no queen but eggs and loads of charged cells. Took down all the cells, just debating what to do!! Supercedure or swarmView attachment 40524?

I’d say swarm mode.

 

[user 819]

Too early for SS imv, so likely swarm, so clip the Q and reduce qc to one.

 

[gregior]

Took off 10 supers for extraction today, only about 1/3 capped on avearage but they're coming out at 17.5% so all good there, flow has come to a complete stop here.EVERYTHING is in full bloom here ( privet,blackberry,thistle,rosebay and clover) but we only managed a truely pitifull 13 celcius today with the next 7 days looking no better (apart from the winds strengthening even more) bees sat at the entrances itching to go but just not getting an oppertunity.

 

[The Poot]

The cells are capped, so could it be you’ve missed the swarm whilst away?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

swarm in both cases, and as you have torn down all the QCs in the second (queenless) hive, they are now probably unable to make a new queen

Been away for two weeks, thought I'd prepared for all eventualities . Inspected today two of the hives on double brood. Saw the queen in one, this year's queen. Loads of charged cells. The other no queen but eggs and loads of charged cells. Took down all the cells, just debating what to do!! Supercedure or swarmView attachment 40524?

 

[BugsInABox]

Been away for two weeks, thought I'd prepared for all eventualities . Inspected today two of the hives on double brood. Saw the queen in one, this year's queen. Loads of charged cells. The other no queen but eggs and loads of charged cells. Took down all the cells, just debating what to do!! Supercedure or swarmView attachment 40524?

In my humble opinion, thinking in 3D, with all that nectar around they look to be at the edge of the brood nest even if in the middle of that frame so I’d say swarm.

 

[BugsInABox]

swarm in both cases, and as you have torn down all the QCs in the second (queenless) hive, they are now probably unable to make a new queen

Why if there are eggs?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I missed that bit

 

[madasafish]

Watched the rain yesterday
Watched the rain today
Placed 11 QCs in incubator.
Too cold to do more Qrearing.
Awful summer.

 

[Nannysbees]

swarm in both cases, and as you have torn down all the QCs in the second (queenless) hive, they are now probably unable to make a new queen

Thank you will buy a new one to make sure they have a good temperament

 

[Nannysbees]

The cells are capped, so could it be you’ve missed the swarm whilst away?

Could be but the boxes are bursting and there are eggs in both boxes and a queen in one

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Could be but the boxes are bursting

hives 'bursting' after a swarm is nothing unusual

 

[Do224]

Too early for SS imv, so likely swarm, so clip the Q and reduce qc to one.

Can you explain your thinking behind this? Why won’t they still try to swarm with the clipped queen and failing that with the virgin when she emerges?

 

[Nannysbees]

Could be but the boxes are bursting and there are eggs in both boxes and a queen in one

Will do a split