where are all the bees

[Cuckmere couple]

...was a phrase i heard a couple of times in my first/second year from experienced local bee keepers when they looked into newly (maybe prematurely) hived swarm, or even my main colony on one occasion with probably 5 frames BIA!

Its a slightly deflating comment when you think there are thousands and you are doing well.

but, reading my notes post demaree, its quite exciting to think just how many bees there are in the hive.

on the 14th April there were 14 frames BIA in the strongest hive i demareed (i took a nuc off to fit the frames into the UBB) and moved 11 into UBB.
on the 24th i moved another 8 BIA into UBB.

This time last year I had split a number of colonies so whilst all were doing well, i had nothing like the volume of bees in the demaree colonies now and i can sort of understand the comment in the title of this thread although i dont think I will be using it to a couple of friends who have started a couple of hives each

how would i roughly estimate the number of bees in the colony described above i wonder? 80k or more? (its probably still 'small' to some!)

 

[Antipodes]

...was a phrase i heard a couple of times in my first/second year from experienced local bee keepers when they looked into newly (maybe prematurely) hived swarm, or even my main colony on one occasion with probably 5 frames BIA!

Its a slightly deflating comment when you think there are thousands and you are doing well.

but, reading my notes post demaree, its quite exciting to think just how many bees there are in the hive.

on the 14th April there were 14 frames BIA in the strongest hive i demareed (i took a nuc off to fit the frames into the UBB) and moved 11 into UBB.
on the 24th i moved another 8 BIA into UBB.

This time last year I had split a number of colonies so whilst all were doing well, i had nothing like the volume of bees in the demaree colonies now and i can sort of understand the comment in the title of this thread although i dont think I will be using it to a couple of friends who have started a couple of hives each

how would i roughly estimate the number of bees in the colony described above i wonder? 80k or more? (its probably still 'small' to some!)

How tall is the hive?

 

[Cuckmere couple]

BB
2xsuper
BB
1xsuper

 

[Antipodes]

BB
2xsuper
BB
1xsuper

225 plus 300 plus 225 plus 150.
Total 900mm.

I'd say about 80000.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

Thanks Antipodes

 

[gmonag]

BIAS = Brood in all stages.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

yes.....thanks gmonag.....its because friends and i verbalise as BIA and thats what i end up writing down, but you're quite right, i mean BIAS