BBKA Forum

• One queen with a few random drone cells and was walking around in circles a couple of weeks ago has gone, leaving a supercedure cell that was attached between two combs. A spare queen that went in a week ago has been accepted..

• One colony that was very small after winter is now recovering in a nuc and growing. With frosts at night and the temperature barely reaching double figures over the past weeks, they were struggling to get going in a big box.

• Another colony has acute bee paralysis virus with dead bees outside the hive entrance and trembling bees on the landing board I will just have to see if the recover although I might move them onto clean comb and see if that helps.

• My home apiary and out apiary are surrounded by OSR but the nectar is staying in the fields as it's too cold. Very annoying! Although the wild plum tree above my shed was buzzing yesterday and dandelions are out too.

• The rest are more or less OK, although small for the time of year. Whoever said that beekeeping was straight-forward?

Spike wrote: ↑

19 Apr 2021, 20:27

Bobbysbees wrote: ↑

16 Apr 2021, 22:18

Did my first inspections yesterday. knocked down a few charged qc and removed a full frame of drone brood from my smaller colony. Gave both a super of plastic foundation and some thin syrup to see if they will draw it.
about a month ago I took a split off my larger hive went through that and found a sweet little virgin queen and very little brood left to hatch. So today gave them a frame of capped brood to try and keep the numbers up till the princess is mated and laying.
If I'm right she has around 2 weeks to get mated or she will be no good. I have plenty of brood/eggs to give them if she doesn't come to anything.
Think I may have been a bit premature with the split but there are plenty of drones around now and I saw capped drone brood when doing the split. So thought I would give it a try in the hopes of giving them a head start on the season.
Anyone find their bees arnt keen on plastic foundation?

What part of the country are you in?

AdamD wrote: ↑

23 Apr 2021, 09:44

• Another colony has acute bee paralysis virus with dead bees outside the hive entrance and trembling bees on the landing board I will just have to see if the recover although I might move them onto clean comb and see if that helps.