What did you do in the Apiary today?

[StephenT]

Just checked a small single brood hive and they are running on vapour so just put a feeder on. Weather much better now so with a bit of feed they’ll hopefully become self sufficient very soon. Ordered two queens from @Black Mountain Honey. One to replace the queen in a “nightmare to inspect” hive we look after for someone and another to replace a middling mongrel in my garden. Green will make a change from pink.

 

[The Poot]

Cleaning up a nuc this morning. I love this photo - in case any more proof is needed that bees don't like having a draughty bottom! I'm saving it to send to the next person who tells me that they must have ventilation.....

Here’s an Abelo floor I’ve just refurbed - mine wanted a reduction of ventilation - closing the side facing the prevailing winds.

 

[Dr. Abe]

I had the most unfortunate thing happen today. Three days ago I killed a few of my old failing queens and replaced them with quality mated queens that I bought. The opening in the Q cage is filled with candy and that usually gives enough time for the queen to get accepted. However, I also taped over the hole.

Anyway, I went and checked how they were fairing and the queens were already out of the cage. That is fine, however, while I had the hive opened I had pulled out a frame. When I went to put that frame back in, I suddenly noticed that the new marked queen was on it. My greatest fear then actually happened. The Queen took wing and flew in a few circles and then disappeared.

Are there any ideas for what I should do next? How soon in the spring can the hive requeen themselves? (The queen will need to fly out to mate obviously)

 

[Fellstoflats]

Popped into my home apiary to heft the hives, and check on the 3 nucs I'd made up- everything had been going great guns, but I was begining to worry about the hives and their store levels.

Rounded the corner to a cloud of bees, bivouacking in the hedge..

Now the status of my colonies at this apiary was as follows:
-2 hives pre-emptively split into 2 Q+ nucs, and two Q- hives. QCs knocked down to one each, which were expected to hatch last Wednesday or so. Weather has been diabolical since, bar the odd couple of settled hours.

-Another nuc, made up to accept a queen before being united to a colony in another apiary.


All the nucs have perspex crownboards, so a quick peek revealed none to be bursting full, just ticking along nicely.

A crack of the crownboards on the hives revealed bees active on the supers, but again, not bursting.

Primed with this knowledge, I've shaken them into a brood box, and assume they're a swarm. The first of the season for me!

 

[Wilco]

I'd wait three days then look through for eggs. I've had it happen once or twice and they usually circle round and land.

I had the most unfortunate thing happen today. Three days ago I killed a few of my old failing queens and replaced them with quality mated queens that I bought. The opening in the Q cage is filled with candy and that usually gives enough time for the queen to get accepted. However, I also taped over the hole.

Anyway, I went and checked how they were fairing and the queens were already out of the cage. That is fine, however, while I had the hive opened I had pulled out a frame. When I went to put that frame back in, I suddenly noticed that the new marked queen was on it. My greatest fear then actually happened. The Queen took wing and flew in a few circles and then disappeared.

Are there any ideas for what I should do next? How soon in the spring can the hive requeen themselves? (The queen will need to fly out to mate obviously)

 

[Garry R]

This morning got all organised for inspections with nucs at the ready just in case needed for splits and went out to load up the car and go. However it's blowing a hooley since lunchtime and has turned to 9C but feels a lot colder in the wind. Even though it's 9 days since last inspection decided to risk it and not bother. I am getting really fed up with this spring weather in 2024 - frustration all the way. Will have to wait until Wednesday now as my wife is having a tooth out tomorrow. Have made up a couple of my uncappers to keep stocks up.

 

[Sutty]

Re blocking underfloor ventilation: I have a sheet of thin correx to drop into the bottom of some of my nucs. Generally they seem happy with the small entrance, though one lot tried to enlarge it.

 

[BigAshW]

First warm day that I haven't been in hospital this year so was sorting my out brood boxes and frames only to see the colony at the end of the garden go up. Luckily they landed in a tree next door so have got them in a poly nuc.

I've not managed to inspect a single hive yet this year due to weather or illness so I think it will be a frenetic period while I try and get everything back under some sort of control.

 

[hemo]

I had the most unfortunate thing happen today. Three days ago I killed a few of my old failing queens and replaced them with quality mated queens that I bought. The opening in the Q cage is filled with candy and that usually gives enough time for the queen to get accepted. However, I also taped over the hole.

Anyway, I went and checked how they were fairing and the queens were already out of the cage. That is fine, however, while I had the hive opened I had pulled out a frame. When I went to put that frame back in, I suddenly noticed that the new marked queen was on it. My greatest fear then actually happened. The Queen took wing and flew in a few circles and then disappeared.

Are there any ideas for what I should do next? How soon in the spring can the hive requeen themselves? (The queen will need to fly out to mate obviously)

How long did you remain around the hive/colony ?
When a Q takes flight she will usually carry out a series of orientations and should return to the colony position , can be almost straight away or up to 15/20 mins. Hopefully one will find eggs in a few days time.
Best advice if it ever occurs again is to stay put at the hive for a while as she will use you as a marker as well. They will often return via the entrance or opened hive.

 

[Swarm]

First warm day that I haven't been in hospital this year so was sorting my out brood boxes and frames only to see the colony at the end of the garden go up. Luckily they landed in a tree next door so have got them in a poly nuc.

I've not managed to inspect a single hive yet this year due to weather or illness so I think it will be a frenetic period while I try and get everything back under some sort of control.

Wishing you better health and luck. This year is proving to be a very challenging time for me as well.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I had the most unfortunate thing happen today. Three days ago I killed a few of my old failing queens and replaced them with quality mated queens that I bought. The opening in the Q cage is filled with candy and that usually gives enough time for the queen to get accepted. However, I also taped over the hole.

Anyway, I went and checked how they were fairing and the queens were already out of the cage. That is fine, however, while I had the hive opened I had pulled out a frame. When I went to put that frame back in, I suddenly noticed that the new marked queen was on it. My greatest fear then actually happened. The Queen took wing and flew in a few circles and then disappeared.

Are there any ideas for what I should do next? How soon in the spring can the hive requeen themselves? (The queen will need to fly out to mate obviously)

It’s happened to me and I’ve come back the next day to find her back in residence so fingers crossed she’ll be back.

 

[Mint Bee]

first full frame inspection of 15 hives / nucs at a site where there is no OSR locally. little to no nectar in most hives, and very limited egg laying in these. removed a couple of empty supers from hives that actually look to have gone backwards in the last few weeks. Will be feeding a number tomorrow.

 

[The Poot]

first full frame inspection of 15 hives / nucs at a site where there is no OSR locally. little to no nectar in most hives, and very limited egg laying in these. removed a couple of supers from hives that actually look to have gone backwards in the last few weeks. Will be feeding a number tomorrow.

It’s crazy and quite disheartening isn’t it?

 

[Antipodes]

It’s crazy and quite disheartening isn’t it?

We had a bad start to the season, the season before this one. Some were saying " the worst they've ever seen". Come mid- December (sort of your late June) it fined right up and then the season was pretty good. Fingers crossed.

 

[Nottmnewbee]

I’ve been feeding my hives the last few weeks, most of them are building up nicely, the best hive appears to be one that were in a nuc only a week or so ago that are now over 8 frames, they have stores so I have popped on supers as the weather looks like it’s going to turn. I have one hive which was strong last year, the queen isn’t really laying that much and I’ve spotted a capped supercedure cell, I’ve decided to leave them to it.

 

[gregior]

Wow what a difference (literally) a day makes,bees on the brink of starvation the last few days but now it's warmed up bees are in a frenzy! Fresh nectar pouring into the hives (mostly hawthorn), queens starting to lay again and will be turning their attention to swarming very soon I suspect. Lots of sealed brood and some eggs but nothing in the larval stage so there will be a short gap in the emergance of new bees in the next couple of weeks.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Two very different hives today.
One which got going early, found some stores, weathered the last couple of weeks of cold, now given second drawn super.
The other, big hive last year, has made no gains this year. Lost weight, stopped laying, lack of open brood. Needed feeding. Thinking, disease inspection next time.

 

[Erichalfbee]

More rain here.
More rain for the next two weeks apart from the odd day.

 

[JamezF]

I have just been out to sort some stuff out in the bee shed. It is cold, breezy and raining. The bees are flying from every hive. Not in huge numbers, certainly, but they're giving it a crack. How hardcore are they?

James

 

[Sutty]

United a small colony and a nuc into a deep box and then united that with a colony on double brood.
I have 3 other hives on 3 deeps. I always find it difficult to reduce them without sacrificing brood!
Another colony had produced a single queen cell (looked about day 5) - I've left the to it and they don't swarm!