Hive no 1

[Headfry]

Well, great news....went into hive 1 home of Attila the Hum.
If you remember the bee inspector called, no nasties but NO Queen Attila either
Kind Inspector said not to worry there is a good queen cell there, they should hatch a new one! So after a nervous 3 weeks of pacing I opened the hive on Saturday.
First few frames clean, dry cells and then some with food stores (honey and pollen) next few frames very light, good clean cells but no eggs or brood.
Then.....there she was - Attila the second, looking beautiful. WOW I could have danced, Even Mr HF got to meet her royal Queen' ness so put the hive back together and will give her a couple of weeks and check again. Fingers crossed I hope to see eggs and brood!

One very happy Headfry!

[shirlthegirl43]

Brilliant news HF!!! So pleased for you and your bees. Any chance of piccies sometime please?

[trebellangeminired]

Congratulations HF!!! Keep us up to date with progress please.

TGR

P.S. I have been in touch with my local beekeepers and am going to next meeting

[Headfry]

I hope Mr HF will help me post some! I did post some a while back but they came out the size of a stamp! I am terrible at computers, really terrible.


Well done TGR, a great way to start! I am very happy for you. Keep me posted please.'

Thanks Shirley, been a funny old year so far. Not without it's problems, but I do think I have learnt a lot. I was so worried about the Bee Inspector calling, very nervous- but what a lovely lady, it was so nice to meet her, and look forward to her coming again. She has helped with all kinds of questions and has added greatly to my confidence. All part of the richness of my bee keeping days.

[SueA]

That's great news Headfry, glad everything seems to be turning out O.K. with the bees. We went to Croxteth Hall in Liverpool last week & looked round the walled gardeb there. They have a selection of hives & you could see the bees going in & out of the bottom of one of them , I've attached a pic. you can just see the bees at the base of the hive nearest the camera. We went in the shop hoping to buy some honey from there but they only had 'bought in' honey on sale, maybe they just haven't got enough of their own yet. How long will it take for you to get honey now that your new queen has hatched? Seems like you have to be very observant & patient to be a beekeeper.

[Headfry]

Hi Sue, I love your pic, thank you for posting it. They are all WBC hives - wow.
Well, honey- it's a dreadful year, spoke to a 10 hive owner and he has NO honey at all- he said he would normally have pounds of it by now. I have NO honey, not for me anyway, the girls have plenty, but they have to come first in my eyes! I hope that if the weather picks up I might get a few jars to enjoy. Normally you would take the honey off in late summer- unless you have oil seed rape (OSR) near by, then you would want to get the honey off as soon as you can- it sets in the honey comb and can be a complete devil to extract! This years honey should be about in a month or two's time- but only weather permitting.

[HeyWayne]

Great news HF, chuffed for you.

You can tell you love your girls (and a few boys I'm sure) just by the way you post. Hope things are a little easier going forward and you keep on loving what you're doing.

I know I love reading about them.