Building up

Temperature: 10C
Weather: Warm! Sunny!
Stings: None

I went along today worried what I might find when cracked open the crown board. Its been a month since I fed the bees and since then the weather has been unremittingly cold. I was worried that the syrup would have spurred them to build up their numbers which would then crash as they could not get out and forage for food for all the baby bees. This is because the rate at which the queen lays is dependent on the amount of food coming in.

It doesn't look like that has happened. I counted bees on about 5 frames when I looked in, albeit quickly as the temperature was only just warm enough to support an inspection. I fed them again and that should keep them ticking along as the weather improves. Next week, depending on the weather, I might go for a full inspection. Then, or soon after, I'll start to get them on to fresh comb.

If I can this year I want to build up a reserve of honey-filled brood comb. That will make building up next year easier as they will be able to move to use that much more easily than it is to use syrup. I still don't know how good a spot they are in for honey but it has got to be pretty good as there are almost no other bees around to compete with.