Trog

Sometimes on Mull it's necessary to inspect the bees in less than ideal conditions. They have a wonderful habit of quietly getting on with swarm preparations then departing the minute the sun comes out!

Yesterday was sunny but with a cold north wind and a temperature in the shade of only 9 degrees. However, the girls were flying better than they had for some time and the apiary was reasonably sheltered from the wind. Having done my first spring inspection on 10 April, it was high time to take another look so I headed down the garden with some nice new frames of foundation in the hope that I could replace some of the grotty old combs at the edges and check for early queen cells.

I started with what I thought would be the smallest colony and was surprised to see them covering most of the frames. Next came the feisty ones - always slightly less forgiving of knocks or clumsy handling, but not in any way obnoxious. Interestingly there were more of these at home and not out flying. They are the yellowest bees I have, the others being much darker, gentler and more willing to fly from 5 degrees upwards. Then the 'Maybees', who were smaller in number than expected but with plenty due to emerge. They had some braula on them and a few drones present. Finally my lovely self-hived swarm which turned up late last summer. Always out before the others, sweet natured and dark, they were overwintered as a nuc and are building up beautifully.

I had a good look at the state of the brood (all fine) and all four queens were seen, even though I wasn't looking for them. They're not marked but always easy enough to see. It's the way they move that catches my eye first.

Normally I would be supering up the two largest colonies by this stage in their development, and given the huge amount of forage currently available, but I'm trying to make them feel crowded this year to get some good queen cells and nucs. I have plans for each of the four colonies but no doubt they have their own, very different, plans! At any rate, they will be inspected next week, come wind, come weather.