What did you do in the Apiary today?

[thedozzer]

19c so first hive inspection of the year, all looking very healthy and building extension comb on frames, some even had larvae. few drones cells on the outside of 2 frames and a few fat lads wandering round the frames.

6 frames of brood, 5 frames stores so 1 frame of stores removed and remaining stores bruised, new foundation and super added.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Showing 20deg on the hives today so went through 4 this morning. 3 bursting with bees 1 with a half drawn super which I put on last week. Had to add super to another. All have plenty of drones, one of them looked to have a full compliment!
The one that had was weakest had several supercedure cells, one had emerged and the others had had the sides chewed out. Saw the old lady but no sign of the new one.......
I shall have another look in a couple of weeks.

 

[drex]

Been in T shirt all day. Plenty of bees flying, so I had a quick look through. 4-5 frames of brood. Did not look in bottom BB. Some were getting low on stores so robbed frames from other hives. Loads of bees and quite a few drones. All came through winter strong. Will keep close eye on stores levels

 

[madasafish]

8C and a cold wind.. Kept cleaning mini nucs..too cold to look at bees..

 

[wightbees]

What a lovely day! Lots of Brood and seen plenty of oilseed rape pollen coming in. Nectar coming in too and my guess is the same as the pollen! I have not moved bees to the rape so I can't be sure but some of the bees are covered totally yellow! New fluffy Drones on the combs too. I have added boxes to some as they are very advanced for this time of year. Spent the later part of the day at the beach, very busy there too!!

 

[lundy]

Checked on the wild bees I rescued on those brief warm days we had in late Feb. Look far happier and seem to be doing much better

 

[viridens]

I looked in and around the hives through clouds of bees and had to remind myself that it is still only March.

 

[Dadnlad]

Managed first inspections on about a third of our hives between 1 and 3pm today

Several nucs need hiving this week, one hive on 6 brood already

Hopefully get the rest done after work this week - can't hang around this spring

 

[SuffolkPaul]

conducted 1st insepctions of the Year with a Question

I inspected both of my over wintered 14 x 12 hives yesterday. I had fondant on both hives, before inspection. However on inspection both hives had 3-4 full frames of Honey and the remaining frames also had honey and pollen at the top and down each side so the brood pattern was rather small. I saw eggs and lavae, and a few drone strutting around, in both hives After inspection i removed the fondant as they dont need it with so much stores in the BB, and i placed a super on each hive.

However should i have removed some honey frames from the BB box and replaced these with foundation, as in hindsight i worry the Queen will not have enough room to lay eggs at the begining of Spring, when she is at her most productive? Or will the bees move honey from the BB up into the super i have give them?

Best Regards

Paul

 

[gregior]

Inspected 6 of mine for the first time this year today,5 of them doing really well with around 6fr brood,the other one is weak with only 2 frames brood but should be ok. Spotted drones in all the hives and was shocked to find that 3 of the colonies must have superceded last Autumn so marked the new queens. Season is getting going early this year!

 

[Finman]

I inspected both of my over wintered 14 x 12 hives yesterday. I had fondant on both hives, before inspection. However on inspection both hives had 3-4 full frames of Honey and the remaining frames also had honey and pollen at the top and down each side so the brood pattern was rather small. I saw eggs and lavae, and a few drone strutting around, in both hives After inspection i removed the fondant as they dont need it with so much stores in the BB, and i placed a super on each hive.

However should i have removed some honey frames from the BB box and replaced these with foundation, as in hindsight i worry the Queen will not have enough room to lay eggs at the begining of Spring, when she is at her most productive? Or will the bees move honey from the BB up into the super i have give them?

Best Regards

Paul

It sounds that the hives are not very full of bees and now you add more space with supers. It keeps the hives cold and bees have difficulties to keep brood warm. Bees will not move stores to cold super.

It is not sure, are the bees able to draw foundations, but it is only alternative if you do not have empty brood combs.

How many frames are covered with bees?
.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I inspected both of my over wintered 14 x 12 hives yesterday. I had fondant on both hives, before inspection. However on inspection both hives had 3-4 full frames of Honey and the remaining frames also had honey and pollen at the top and down each side so the brood pattern was rather small. I saw eggs and lavae, and a few drone strutting around, in both hives After inspection i removed the fondant as they dont need it with so much stores in the BB, and i placed a super on each hive.

However should i have removed some honey frames from the BB box and replaced these with foundation, as in hindsight i worry the Queen will not have enough room to lay eggs at the begining of Spring, when she is at her most productive? Or will the bees move honey from the BB up into the super i have give them?

Best Regards

Paul

Good chance it's not just 'honey' if they've also being taking down fondant

 

[Swarm]

Had a look at a dozen colonies today, nectar and pollen piling in and all feeling nicely heavy.

 

[Ian123]

I gave the ones at home the full inspection, several single box hives busting out the top. Moved some nucs up to broods and my pet project late cut out was busting out its nuc. Drones and drone brood in all but the odd nuc

 

[wightbees]

Checked on Nucs today, they going crazy. Going to move them into hives this weekend. Some with ekes on had built loads of wild comb and filling with nectar!

 

[SuffolkPaul]

It sounds that the hives are not very full of bees and now you add more space with supers. It keeps the hives cold and bees have difficulties to keep brood warm. Bees will not move stores to cold super.

It is not sure, are the bees able to draw foundations, but it is only alternative if you do not have empty brood combs.

How many frames are covered with bees?
.

Hi Fiman, thanks for the reply. Sorry for lack of information and not making it apparent that all frames were covered in Bees, and these are 14x12 frames.

 

[mbc]

Cracking day today, I spent it adding supers, promoting nucs into hives, giving the odd light hive a slurp, found a queenless hive and a drone layer which both got united but will still go down in the records as a loss (still ~4% lost over winter=very happy me) but all in all a fantastic day. Fresh nectar coming in from blackthorn and willow if I'm not mistaken. I'll sleep tonight

 

[enrico]

Thought about adding supers but weather turning cold next week. They can wait until after that. They have enough space for the moment.
E

 

[colinc]

Sat there yesterday afternoon looking at the number of bees flying and although I love to see it, I am having a serious think about how best to downsize.

Still working full time so it is possible for me to have too many bees.


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[colinc]

And the Rape is just breaking out again here.


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