would you

[irishguy]

Had a look from under my other main hive today and noticed the bees working on a frame or 2 in the super that's below the brood box. This is the one which was fully covered with insulation from roof to bottom of floor. Had it planned to look in this hive at the wknd but seeing as temps will be low again, would I be best to get it out of the way today or leave until the weather picks up again next week or 2.

If and when I do open it, if the queen is laying in this super, what is my next move.

I also had some frames left in utility room in brood box all winter and the honey fermented (I think). There was a strong smell from them. Another one or 2 had blue mould which was pollen left in cells that went bad. What I did was cut out the blue mould on these frames and on the others, I put in a sink of Luke warm water then shook everything out of the cells. There's still the fermented smell but wanting to know will these be OK for giving my nuc when i open it up for its first inspection.

 

[enrico]

I would just have given them the frames back and let them do all the cleaning.
As for the under super....you can always make sure the queen is not in it, take it off and put it back above a QE. The brood, if any, will emerge and they will store honey in it.
There is no rush to inspect yet.
E

 

[Arfermo]

I would just have given them the frames back and let them do all the cleaning.
As for the under super....you can always make sure the queen is not in it, take it off and put it back above a QE. The brood, if any, will emerge and they will store honey in it.
There is no rush to inspect yet.
E

Don't know where you are but it's not far from me. Yet first inspection today, I had to do a split on one hive with brood in both boxes and put supers on 2 others because they were so full of brood and stores (double brood on all by the way). Suggest you ought to looksee before you get a problem.

 

[enrico]

Don't know where you are but it's not far from me. Yet first inspection today, I had to do a split on one hive with brood in both boxes and put supers on 2 others because they were so full of brood and stores (double brood on all by the way). Suggest you ought to looksee before you get a problem.

Thanks, yes I forget you are not all as cold as us. I am up in the shropshire hills on the Welsh border so things are only just taking off here. Still got loads of room in mine but thanks for the tip!
E

 

[PaulCarroll]

I think the advice has to be that inspections are conducted given local circumstances and not just because others are doing so. In Kent the weather is scheduled to reach 21 degrees today but has been warm enough all week to allow me to inspect. I have been able to replace OMF and remove a super from under brood box and add QE and place super above all with the knowledge that it was sufficiently warm and that the girls were happy to allow me to work quickly around the hive. I also think people are worrying unduly about slow build up to the season, it has been cold and as such local forage is later than expected but starting to become abundant now. I like others have had some winter loss which was unexpected but I guess it is a question of rebuild and onward and upward. Best of luck.