I left the last of my five splits to the end of today's inspection - all queenright judging by the amount of open brood but I have been fretting about this hive. There's been a smell of dead animal near it that has had me searching the grass and sniffing under the hive floor but to no avail.
The brood pattern just doesn't seem quite right even for a queen that is getting going after a distinct June gap and whilst I can't see anything obviously amiss with the open brood, it just doesn't look right; although an EFB lateral flow device has come back OK.
So I have shared some pictures with my bee inspector, who also doesn't see anything obvious but is going to come over and have a look.
Thank goodness we still have an NBU and I for one am always grateful to be able to call them in.
I'll keep you posted..................
The brood pattern just doesn't seem quite right even for a queen that is getting going after a distinct June gap and whilst I can't see anything obviously amiss with the open brood, it just doesn't look right; although an EFB lateral flow device has come back OK.
So I have shared some pictures with my bee inspector, who also doesn't see anything obvious but is going to come over and have a look.
Thank goodness we still have an NBU and I for one am always grateful to be able to call them in.
I'll keep you posted..................