My Girls (bees)

[Mrs Dobby]

Hope your girls are behaving themselves Headfry, ours have been very naughty, we've had lots of queen cells, had to divide the 3 hives, so went up to 7 hives, then Sunday we had a swarm from one of the original hives (managed to catch it and home it in a nucleus box), it appears we missed a queen cell when we did our inspection last week, so that took us to 8 colonies......

Then yesterday we had a swarm appear from elsewhere, they landed on our plot, about 12' from our second apiary! Definitely not from any of our hives, they flew in from over the trees to the east of the plot (there is a farm over that way that has bees, about 2 miles away), fortunately we were again able to capture them and pop them into a nuc box (rehomed into a hive today with feeder), but it appears that it wasnt 1 swarm, but 2 together, as there was a split (a possible cast from the original swarm) that we popped in another nuc box that Lee and Colin built yesterday!

So we're now at 10 colonies, 3 established with viable queens, and 7 unknowns, 4 of which were from divisions, and had a couple of queen cells each, 1 that was the oiginal that was left behind when 1 of ours swarmed (which has a lovely big queen cell in it) and 2 that were swarms from elsewhere!

Hope we dont get any more, we've no more equipment left now!

[jackie j]

Yesterday at the plot the bee man arrived and I said oh by the way the bee's were buzzing last week. Later on he asked me which day as they had gone. I didnt know it was a sign they were preparing to swarm. Now I know I will keep an eye and ear out.

[CaroltheCarrot]

I have been reading this with great interest.I have been wanting to keep bees for years,but did not think my neighbours would appreciate it either.I now have a plot and have permission to keep bees.Our next course does not start till January so I wont be getting them till next year.
I will follow the progress avidly

[Headfry]

Hi there,
Well its been good for Hive One but sadly bad for Hive Two!

On my first inspection of the year both hives were about equal in quantity of bees with both hives seemingly in good health.

Hive one has blossomed (to coin a phrase)
Wanted to split them to create a nuc (small colony) yesterday evening. This I wished to give to one of the new beekeepers within the Oxfordshire Beekeepers Ass. They have had so many enroll on the beginners course that they do not have enough colonies to give out, I had hoped to be able to help- but my very naughty girls it was reported - were up in the Medlar tree again yesterday afternoon (they had swarmed) they did this last year, same time - same tree, same hive!.....despite my best efforts to stop them.
By the time I returned from work they had gone, still at least that may be a colony that will return to the wild- so I hope for a good life for them.

Hive two is very poorly. My beekeeping mentor has looked and we can see no real reason for this. It could be down to a poorly mated Queen who is now not laying very well. I am going to change out some of the old and dark brood frames for new foundation as I am told that queens like to lay in nice new cells so this may help - worth a try!
I have my fingers crossed so tightly for them.

Still, Hive one is very busy and I have almost two supers full of honey though I would rather have a happy hive two than the honey to be honest.

Just a tad upsetting that I can not help someone get started with their beekeeping, still another time perhaps.
I am awaiting the hatching of my new Queen! 11 days or so now......I will be pacing up and down by then.

[Mrs Dobby]

Sorry to hear of the problems with Hive 2, we've a similar problem with Hive1, she'd laying on 3 frames, but its not building up at all! We had a sample tested for Nosema, negative, no signs of foul brood, nothing to suggest why shes not performing!

The swarm and cast that arrived from who knows where decided to get back together in 1 hive, and seemed happy enough on Tuesday night, but by Wednesday morning they had gone, so we're back down to 6 hives and 2 nucleus, enough for us to look after with a couple of nuc's to pass on to other beekeepers (either new or experienced who have lost their bees over the winter!)

During the inspection this week we found more queen cells in Hive 2 (which we removed), the busy girls have drawn out 10 of the 12 brood frames and 8 of the 10 super frames in only 11 days! We've given them another super to draw out and fill, and possibly will get another split from them in the next week or two! 3 of the splits that we put into hives now have queens that have recently emerged, hopefully they will get mated soon and prove to be as productive as their mother, the queen in Hive 2!

[bigal123_123]

hi headfry finished course now and am being mentored for this year and planning to get my girls next spring got the clothing wellies and gloves not been stung yet which is a bonus but loving it

[Headfry]

Great news!
Do you know what type of hive you are going for yet?

Happy days!

[bigal123_123]

i think im going with nationals have plans for self builds so going to give it a go over the summer ready for next spring