May
21

Weekly Inspection 21st May

Observations:

Well the weather has finally improved with temperatures 15C – 20C and no rain. Forecast is for more of the same. Plenty of forage: Chesnut, Lilac, Broom and Hawthorn. Dandelions still around.

Apiary has expanded considerable with colony purchased , 2 swarms and a bait hive success.

Started uniting colonies as the original 4 are on the decline still and won’t survive the season. Will take a final decision of which ones to unite in the next couple of weeks. For now it looks like Cyan is on its last legs, just emerging drone brood – no queen or even a drone layer – so uniting with Aqua. Put Cyan on top and newspaper in between.

Looks like I‘ll be busy making up frames over the next week or so as I need more brood frames and some supers with fresh foundation.

Put out bait hive for second time.

Hive Record
Colony
Q
BIAS
Brood
Stores
CommentNext Inspection
AquaNNNo brood, 5 sealed QCs, taken down to one Plenty in both brood box and super has about 3KgsNot doing well and should unite with a much stronger colony. Uniting with Cyan.Check if queen merged in 2 weeks.
DenimYY8 BIAS, doing really well.Plenty in brood boxAdded 11th frame and super.Possibly go DB and change super to fresh one
EmeraldYY7 BIAS, again going really wellPlenty in brood boxAdded 11th frame and super. Uncapped drone frame - 0 in 200 - 👍Same as D - DB plus super
FlaxYY2 frames of eggs. Plenty in brood boxNice size queen, drawn 8 frames already = lot of bees from bait hiveCheck expansion and add 11th frame
GreenYY1 frame with eggs, so queen layingEnoughWas swarm in a 3 frame Nuc from VinceMake up to 5 frames
HoneydewNNNo brood yetOK - already foragingSwarm from Headley, suspect queen is matedCheck for laying queen
IndigoYY3 plus 2 in super.Plenty in super, but looks like last years storesNot really expanding unite with another stronger colonyDecide on uniting plan
BlueYY4 frames of BIAS - small area.Plenty and about 2 Kgs in super.Found queen and marked her - not sure if she was the brought in one which had been marked red.Check brood pattern and if Queen OK.
CyanNNjust emerging drone brood.About 4 Kgs in Superdefinitely on its way out - so uniting with Aquacheck if unite OK