Temperature: 23C
Weather: Windy, cloudy
Stings: None
It looks like everything is working out. Brood frames are being drawn and stores are being laid down. The bees have now got about five brood frames of stores prepared - though these are spread across more frames than that. I did see a couple of queen cups but neither was polished or had an egg in it. The bees seemed pretty happy though I didn't see any eggs.
Even better they are starting to draw out the brood frames in the upper brood box. Not all of them but two or three are being heavily worked. Fingers crossed that they keep it up.
This weekend I put Porter bee escapes on the crown board between the upper brood box and super. Over the next week or so that should remove the bees from that super and get them working the brood frames. Most, if not all, of the frames in the super are full of honey. A pretty good crop by the looks of it.
I went through the bottom brood box just to see what was happening and there is still loads of capped brood to emerge. About three or four frames of it. I did have a minor scare as there was one frame that had no brood/eggs or anything on it. Of course, it was the first one I looked at and I wondered if I had trapped the queen in the upper brood box. I hadn't as a look through the upper box showed only stores. I think it was a case, that I've seen before, of the queen just not getting round to that frame. Sometimes they won't get past another frame and I think the one next to it had lots of stores. I swapped them around so she can get at it much more easily.
I'll check them again on Wednesday to see how the evacuation is going. I should be able to take the super off next weekend and plan the extraction soon after. I also need another flagstone so I can start to put more of my equipment there. It's generally better to have it to hand.
I also stated my varroa checking regime by swapping their old floor for a mesh one. I'll take it out next week to see how many mites are on it and how much treatment I have to do. The colony is very strong but I've been caught out by that before.
Monday, 26 July 2010
Wednesday, 14 July 2010
Space race
Temperature: 19C
Stings: None
So far, my plans are going well. I swapped out some of the older frames in the brood box for undrawn ones to encourage the bees to, among other things, lay down some stores. The drawn comb I have got is pretty gnarly and I'll be better off replacing it as soon as I can. Of the three frames I put in that lower brood box all are being worked on. One is almost all stores (yay), one is almost completely drawn and what is drawn are full of nectar (double yay) and the other one is only just starting to be worked on.
I feel relieved about this. I was worried that the bees would simply concentrate their efforts on the honey in the super and ignore the others. That's not happened but I think I need to put on some Porter bee escapes to encourage them out of there.
I almost put the frame that was almost entirely drawn in the upper brood box but decided not to as they are already hurting for room so taking that away might have been a bit much. The bees have pretty much ignored the frames in that upper box.
In the brood box there is loads of capped brood. Lots and lots. And there are already loads of bees in there. If the good weather continues then this will be good as they will be very well prepared for the winter. If not then they might consume their own stores while all those bees look for something to do.
What did I not see? Drone cells. I did see one but no others. There are a few drones around but it doesn't look like there'll be any more born.
While checking through I did see a queen cup. Just one. I checked it with the hive tool but there was nothing in it. It doesn't seem like there is anything to worry about. The queen's wings are clipped so they can't swarm and they must be pretty happy with her as she is doing such a good job of laying and keeping the colony numbers up.
The bees were slightly grumpier than usual and a few bees bumped against my veil as I was working just to let me know they were there. I think this had more to do with the overcast weather than my ham-fistedness. The worst time I've had with bees was when they knew a storm was brewing and I didn't. They really didn't like me opening up the hive with rain threatening.
Action plan for next time. Put on the bee escapes. Tidy up old frames in the second brood box t get rid of the lumps and bumps. Move frames around to keep the bees drawing out the frames.
Despite the progress, I can't escape the feeling that I'm missing something.
Stings: None
So far, my plans are going well. I swapped out some of the older frames in the brood box for undrawn ones to encourage the bees to, among other things, lay down some stores. The drawn comb I have got is pretty gnarly and I'll be better off replacing it as soon as I can. Of the three frames I put in that lower brood box all are being worked on. One is almost all stores (yay), one is almost completely drawn and what is drawn are full of nectar (double yay) and the other one is only just starting to be worked on.
I feel relieved about this. I was worried that the bees would simply concentrate their efforts on the honey in the super and ignore the others. That's not happened but I think I need to put on some Porter bee escapes to encourage them out of there.
I almost put the frame that was almost entirely drawn in the upper brood box but decided not to as they are already hurting for room so taking that away might have been a bit much. The bees have pretty much ignored the frames in that upper box.
In the brood box there is loads of capped brood. Lots and lots. And there are already loads of bees in there. If the good weather continues then this will be good as they will be very well prepared for the winter. If not then they might consume their own stores while all those bees look for something to do.
What did I not see? Drone cells. I did see one but no others. There are a few drones around but it doesn't look like there'll be any more born.
While checking through I did see a queen cup. Just one. I checked it with the hive tool but there was nothing in it. It doesn't seem like there is anything to worry about. The queen's wings are clipped so they can't swarm and they must be pretty happy with her as she is doing such a good job of laying and keeping the colony numbers up.
The bees were slightly grumpier than usual and a few bees bumped against my veil as I was working just to let me know they were there. I think this had more to do with the overcast weather than my ham-fistedness. The worst time I've had with bees was when they knew a storm was brewing and I didn't. They really didn't like me opening up the hive with rain threatening.
Action plan for next time. Put on the bee escapes. Tidy up old frames in the second brood box t get rid of the lumps and bumps. Move frames around to keep the bees drawing out the frames.
Despite the progress, I can't escape the feeling that I'm missing something.
Sunday, 11 July 2010
A tight squeeze
Temperature: 27C
Weather: Bright and sunny
Stings: None
This was the first visit for about 10 days - perhaps a bit too long. I've a feeling that what I did today should have been done a while ago. Anyhoo, I gave them lots more space by adding another brood box with undrawn comb in it. There are only nine undrawn frames as two are in the bottom brood box and will hopefully be drawn out pretty quickly.
I also checked the super to see how that was going and it is pretty full. Unfortunately, not all the honey is capped so I can't really take it off yet or get the bees off it as the honey in it is likely just to ferment and be unusable if I do.
I did a quickish check of the lower brood box and it looks now like there is brood across all the frames, lots of it capped too so there are going to be lots more bees around soon and they will need something to do and somewhere to go at night.
The potential problem I have is that they spread themselves too thinly and I don't get many fully-drawn frames and none full enough of stores to see them through the winter. I can feed them to make it work but I'd rather avoid that if I can.
I need the brood frames drawn as the ones I inherited are really lumpy and bumpy. If I can swap them for ones that are better produced it will cut down on problems that would otherwise arise as I'm manipulating them.
I'm planning to go and see them again on Wednesday and give them a thorough look over. More soon.
Weather: Bright and sunny
Stings: None
This was the first visit for about 10 days - perhaps a bit too long. I've a feeling that what I did today should have been done a while ago. Anyhoo, I gave them lots more space by adding another brood box with undrawn comb in it. There are only nine undrawn frames as two are in the bottom brood box and will hopefully be drawn out pretty quickly.
I also checked the super to see how that was going and it is pretty full. Unfortunately, not all the honey is capped so I can't really take it off yet or get the bees off it as the honey in it is likely just to ferment and be unusable if I do.
I did a quickish check of the lower brood box and it looks now like there is brood across all the frames, lots of it capped too so there are going to be lots more bees around soon and they will need something to do and somewhere to go at night.
The potential problem I have is that they spread themselves too thinly and I don't get many fully-drawn frames and none full enough of stores to see them through the winter. I can feed them to make it work but I'd rather avoid that if I can.
I need the brood frames drawn as the ones I inherited are really lumpy and bumpy. If I can swap them for ones that are better produced it will cut down on problems that would otherwise arise as I'm manipulating them.
I'm planning to go and see them again on Wednesday and give them a thorough look over. More soon.
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
Late post
Temperature: 20C
Stings: None
I'm writing this up a few days after I went to see the bees, so there might be some details I've forgotten.
Anyhoo, in this visit I started some of the changes I need to make to ensure they are okay for the winter. I swapped out a frame that was all stores for an undrawn brood frame. I'll need to do that a few more times to get enough to see them through but it's a start. The good thing is that I did it in the middle of the main flow and the good weather means it is likely to continue for a while. Though if it goes on too long then the nectar will start to dry up. A day of rain now would be perfect.
I also removed the super frame in the brood box that had lots of frame some of it drone, built underneath. I might put that back in on the next visit as its a good way to get rid of some varroa.
The super I have got on is pretty much full which means that I should get some honey this year. Not a huge amount and it does depend on whether they have raided it to build wax down below.
This visit I also noticed that there is still a lot of brood to emerge. I think when I next go I'll put on another brood box with mostly undrawn comb just to give them more space. If I don't they are really going to be squeezed in tight. They won't swarm, the queen has her wings clipped, but if they don't have enough space they might get a bit grumpy.
I also have a mesh floor to put on them so I can do a better job of monitoring varroa levels. I've not noticed any bees with bent wings or anything like that so I think they are okay at the moment. It'll pay to keep an eye on it though.
Stings: None
I'm writing this up a few days after I went to see the bees, so there might be some details I've forgotten.
Anyhoo, in this visit I started some of the changes I need to make to ensure they are okay for the winter. I swapped out a frame that was all stores for an undrawn brood frame. I'll need to do that a few more times to get enough to see them through but it's a start. The good thing is that I did it in the middle of the main flow and the good weather means it is likely to continue for a while. Though if it goes on too long then the nectar will start to dry up. A day of rain now would be perfect.
I also removed the super frame in the brood box that had lots of frame some of it drone, built underneath. I might put that back in on the next visit as its a good way to get rid of some varroa.
The super I have got on is pretty much full which means that I should get some honey this year. Not a huge amount and it does depend on whether they have raided it to build wax down below.
This visit I also noticed that there is still a lot of brood to emerge. I think when I next go I'll put on another brood box with mostly undrawn comb just to give them more space. If I don't they are really going to be squeezed in tight. They won't swarm, the queen has her wings clipped, but if they don't have enough space they might get a bit grumpy.
I also have a mesh floor to put on them so I can do a better job of monitoring varroa levels. I've not noticed any bees with bent wings or anything like that so I think they are okay at the moment. It'll pay to keep an eye on it though.
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