Who Said Late Spring!!

[ENZO]

Hello All, Well, a week ago I was thinking what a late season this was, so this week I got some gear out of the shed to decide what to keep and what not as space was getting a little tight, decided what not to keep and left a pile of really old gear in the garden with the intention of breaking it up and using it as firewood, that was thursday.

Today the temp. reached 19 degree C. So spent the day out, come evening back home I thought I would start chopping up the old bee gear. I could not believe it when I saw bees comming out from one of the old hives, this hive was on the floor, no frames and with only an old crown board poorly placed on top, as I removed the crown board which was really heavy I saw that a rather large swarm had moved in!

This is the earliest I have seen a swarm, It just goes to show that bees are not that fussy when it comes to choosing a new home, when they got to go, they go, the interesting thing is that I have a bait box with a couple of old frames in only about 10 meters away on the shed roof.

Has any one out there seen a swarm this early?

All The Best, Enzo.

 

[oliver90owner]

One of yours?

I would be getting a frame of brood in there PDQ to help ensure they stay!

Jersey seems like a different world to what we have on the mainland, weather-wise. You are nearly France after all!!!

Have you checked the shed roof? Might be another one in there!!

AND NO! We have not got any swarms here yet.

Regards, RAB

 

[MJBee]

Yep I had one on 6th April.
We hived them on 5 frames and fed with syrup. the next day they were found 5 yards away clustered in a bush!. Collected and rehived again on 5 frames, this time with a Qx under.
Had a quick look today and they have all moved into the empty side of the hive and built wild comb down from the crown board, eggs present.

Rotated the crown board so that the wild comb hangs between the frames of foundation. I wonder what the little devils will get up to next and why they didnt like the lovely new frames and fresh foundation

 

[jezd]

lol, MJbee did you add a frame of eggs/brood?

 

[Stiffy]

Went through my hives today. A queen cell and lots of sealed drone brood on my Carniolian hive even on double brood boxes and a super which they are rapidly filling.

I have some AMM queens coming (May) and want to avoid splitting this hive until then but think they may have other ideas!

Cheers

 

[Haughton Honey]

Where are you in the UK Stiffy??

 

[Stiffy]

Where are you in the UK Stiffy??

Cornwall where sunshine comes in many forms but mostly wet!

 

[Mike a]

Make up a couple of mini nucs with a cup and a half of bees in each and put your old queens in them and may be donate them to another bee keeper. If you are thinking of killing them then please send them to me and I'll give them a good home until they build up enough to donate to a new bee keeper to get them started.

I don't understand how any one can just kill a perfectly healthy queen.

PM me if you want my address but if you know some one down your way give them an early 2010 x-mas present.

 

[ENZO]

Well, I think the season's under way!

Good Luck To All, Enzo

 

[Onge]

My hives are packed to the rafters and I have drones.

Already added more boxes this friday.

 

[steve1958]

My Bees have been very busy this weekend.
Still not seen the Queen, but she is in there somewhere.

Had one of them follow me around the garden for about 20 minutes.
She just wouldnt leave me alone

I think she liked me

 

[Stiffy]

My Bees have been very busy this weekend.
Still not seen the Queen, but she is in there somewhere.

Had one of them follow me around the garden for about 20 minutes.
She just wouldnt leave me alone

I think she liked me

I took a hive (split) into the winter that I thought would fail as I hadnt seen the queen. However as there were some brood and eggs, so obviuosly she was there somewhere but very illusive.
Did my second inspection for the year yesterday and there she was was bold as brass and making me think how I have could miss her. She is now clipped and marked.