Whoohoo

[grizzly]

Sorry, but i am totally stoked, i dont think i have felt this proud since my daughter was born !!
Went up to my bees this afternoon after placing an undrawn Jumbo Langstroth brood on top of a national Brood, and also a Std undrawn Langstroth on top of another Langstroth last week, with syrup in the Feeders.
The little gems have been drawing out the foundation!!! , the jumbo is nearly over a third done, and the bees had not touched the syrup. Indeed the other hive has drawn out possibly even more, again with no feed.

All now have feeders on, and the bees know the syrup is there, even the queen had moved up into the jumbo from the national.

Both hives were bulging last week and one in particular was almost impossible to manipulate, in fact i closed up half way through, they did not even require smoking today.

I dont mind if you wish to have a moan, yes i did take a chance, but it just proves my point that sometimes,you can close the book and let the bees tell you if they are capable and ready to do things.

So well done Girls.

 

[Polyanwood]

That is brilliant news!!! You have been so lucky. The flowering currant is out here now and the bees love that, so the nectar will be coming in soon.

 

[BKF Admin]

Well done Sweetums thats great news.
We have had some rather good weather.

I put it down to the boxes and foundation supplier.

I can see your National to Langstroth hive in the picture.

 

[Poly Hive]

Smiles.

read my tag line again hmm....?

 

[grizzly]

How are yours Admin, have you supered any ?
It always amazes me how their temperament can change from week to week.

Dont get me started on those boxes !!!!.

 

[BKF Admin]

No extras yet but 2 hives are getting close to needing a bit of room.

I will take a look Sunday afternoon and take some boxes with me.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

Sweetums are you down in Hampshire as well?

Mine are dragging their heels a bit, thinking about a bit of feed/ stimulatative feed as pre build up for OSR.

 

[grizzly]

Hey JB, yes, i am a handful of miles as the crow flies from Admin, and this weather has been a real blessing, i think i heard someone say it was 18 degrees here today.

 

[David P]

Is feeling quite jealous now, oh well nevermind.
I went to put my new hives in my newly found site.

It is an ancient orchard which is gonna be replanted at some point soon with original old species of apples. The whole farm is organic and the field itself is protected as it is original ridge and furrow. When i was there in the summer last year the whole lot was full of wild flowers, with the surrounding fields im assured a good source of clover.

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David

 

[gavin]

Mine are in a similar old orchard, also with the old ridges and furrows. Maybe more of the old trees still standing, though many are on their last legs! The cherries have been out for 10 days or so, and now the first plums have opened too.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

My hives are in my garden which we have an orchard of about 40 apples trees dating back from when the house was built in 1948.

Still a few weeks off from them flowering

 

[gavin]

Sounds great - I have a few apples myself of that sort of vintage. I reckon I'm really lucky though with the orchard which has cherries, plums, gages, pears, apples and even medlars to give them forage just outside the front door from early March to late May. Oh, and carpets of snowdrops and aconites a bit earlier, and ivy to finish off the season. Last summer I was watching the lime trees too, but they didn't get the right weather at the time ... maybe this year!

best wishes

G.

 

[Chris B]

Last summer I was watching the lime trees too, but they didn't get the right weather at the time ... maybe this year!

I've been saying something similar for years. I got what I thought was lime honey my first year with bees. Nothing since! There's lime all around us. But blink and you've missed it.

Well done Sweetums. It definitely sounds more advanced than here in the Midlands. We must be a week or 2 behind you. Are you switching to Jumbo Langstroth? I've got some miscellaneous kit I don't use as it's a pain being a different standard. Are you going to Stoneleigh? If you're interested I'll bring it along and you can make me an offer when you see it. (I think 2 broods, a triple mating hive, steamed off frames, dummy boards and maybe other oddments).

All the best
Chris