What a difference a couple of weeks makes. A couple of weeks ago the lower supers were emptying and bees were consuming stores from them. I was anticipating a poor harvest. With warm weather here, I have now run out of supers and all are full but not capped enough. Currently I have sweet chestnut, blackberry, privet and lime flowering.

I am trying to give space to older queens where I can with the view (hope) that 2016 queens or yet-to-lay virgins are less likely to swarm if there isn't much room for them.