Jun
10

Weekly Inspection – 10th June

Observations:

Honeybee on geranium

Weather: fine with temperatures between 16ºC – 18ºC, cool on the evenings

Forage: bramble elder flower and cow parsley continuing

Moved swarm in bait hive to River Mole apiary  as well as old queen from Flax in 3 frame nuc.

Still nothing in any of the supers – very strange

Ordered 2 Buckfast queens as I’m not happy with how some of the colonies are performing. Will use 1 in Flax and decide whether to split Aqua or requeen Green

Hive Record
Colony
Q
BIAS
Brood
Stores
CommentNext Inspection
AquaYY13 frames of BIAS, great brood patternNothing in super but being workedStarting to lay up drone trap Remove DT & prepare for possible split
BlueNN4 frames of capped broodNothing in super4 charged QCs - taken down to 2, not many bees - possibly swarmed?Take down to 1 QC on 15th June
CyanYN3 frames of eggs new queen has started laying, not many beesAbout 1 Kg in superUnite with Denim has gone OKCheck on brood pattern and slim down to 1 brood box
FlaxYY5 frames of BIAS, 5 charged QCs - took all down OK in brood boxDecided to split queen out to nuc. Also will requeen with Buckfast so took down all QCsCheck for new QCS and destroy before introducing Buckfast on 20th June
GreenNN2 frames with small amount of capped brood. 2 sealed QCsOk given small number of beesPossibly swarmed, needs to either be strengthened or unitedCheck for emerged queen
HoneydewNY8 frames of BIAS, has continued to expandJust over 1Kg in super but being workedDonated 1 frame capped brood to Indigo Replace 1 manky frame and add 1 DT frame
JadeNNNo eggs, was the swarm from bait hiveGave 1/2 slab of Ambrosia as no stores present4 seams of bees, wax buildingCheck for queen and eggs/larvae, remove eke
IndigoNYIs old queen from Flax. 2 capped brood plus added 1 frame capped brood from HoneydewGave 1/2 slab of Ambrosia as no stores presentWill need to see if 2 year old queen still laying OKCheck if queen laying and add 5th frame