Bee prepared

Temperature: 15C
What a pleasant day. The weather is finally getting itself sorted out and it has been sunny and warm all day. I spent my time getting everything in place for the shook swarm exercise this weekend. All the hives are being treated at the same time in a bid to eradicate th

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e EFB that has plagued the site for months.

First off was a dash to Thornes for the last few bits I needed, namely brood frames and foundation. Then I spent a happy hour or so making up the frames and then flaming all the other bits - floor, crown board, brood box and excluder - to make up the clean hive. Once done I headed on over to the apiary and stacked all the equipment next to my hive ready for 4 April when the exercise will be carried out. All I have to do now is prepare the sugar syrup and clean the feeder.

While there I took the mouse guard off the front of my colony and then had look at how they were doing. They seem to be okay. I lifted the crown board and saw bees on about five frames. Not the strongest start I have ever had but decent. The graveyard of bees out the front did not seem to have grown noticeably either.

But, if I'm honest, I think the shook swarm treatment will spell the end for them.

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The queen I have is now three years old; ancient in bee years. She will be laying far less than a queen in her prime and expecting her to get the colony going again may well be too much. Unless I keep a close eye on them, feed them a lot and re-queen quickly then they may well just dwindle away to nothing later in the year.

I did get a new Danish queen last year but she died before I could introduce her to the colony. I've heard that other colonies in the apiary lost their new Danish queens over the winter so it may be good luck to still have my old queen rattling along.