todays news

[prakel]

My point about strains of bee was that the bulk of what is writen and the research is done on bees which are unfamiliar to me and which have been transplanted into different areas, it must colour the conclusions somewhat.

I'm guessing that this is more a demonstration of unknown/outside forces acting in real time rather than any effect which transplanting bees 90+ years ago (for the most part) is having on present day research projects. I may be wrong, of course.

[Jon]

swarm preparations are underway in many colonies, so as soon as the temperature rises they'll be off.

First blink of sunshine it could be mayhem. We have had three really hot days followed by 10 really cold days and there must be a lot of colonies with sealed queen cells in them at the moment. Not any of mine I hope!

[busybeephilip]

Just poked my nose outside - its sunny and warm, bees flying vigorously gathering water etc, hopefully no swarms ....

[busybeephilip]

Green (as on ebay) and brown cups are different sizes, there is now purple cups, is purple the same size as brown ?

[lindsay s]

when it warms up it's going to be swarmtastic … I'm putting my bait hives out

Went down to the bees last nite, it had been 16 degree C during the day and the bees were vigorously fanning at the entrances, the first thing to hit me was the smell of dandelion nectar, supers on most boxes now with the bees up in them - 2015 here I come

While I was reading the forum this morning I started weeping into my porridge when I came across the above quotes. I was thinking If only beekeeping was that easy up here. Yesterday was the first time in a month that I’d managed to carry out an inspection of my hives. Temperatures have been in single figures for weeks and the current outlook is none better.
My strongest colony has five bars of brood; my weakest three and the rest have four. Hives that had plenty of stores a month ago are rapidly running out and three are getting syrup to keep them going. The sun was shining and the bees were bringing in pollen but that is the one commodity all the colonies are short of. The flowering currant is turning brown and dying off and the dandelions have spent most of the time closed. It looks like the bees have missed out on two important sources of pollen at this time of year.
My bees are struggling to keep expanding brood nests warm and fed and there’s a slim chance of comb being drawn. I was speaking to another beekeeper today and she's in the same boat as me.
If things stay like this I’ll be changing my forum name to Miserable B.

[fatshark]

Sorry! If it's any consolation the last week here has been pretty cold (I did say when it warms up) and the OSR is being ignored by anything other than the strongest colonies. About 5 years ago I had mated queens this week, but this year is really slow.

Finally, I'm moving 300 miles North later this year so I'll be weeping into my porridge as well ...

[lindsay s]

Thanks for that Fatshark. By the way I will be asking a few questions about your over wintered Everynucs on the polyhive thread shortly. I might have ago at it this year that’s if we get a summer?

[greengumbo]

Finally, I'm moving 300 miles North later this year so I'll be weeping into my porridge as well ...

Theres 300 miles north to where you are going Fatshark and then there's Orkney which is a further 200 ! Your new abode will be a tad more gentle methinks.

Having said that ever since I moved mine to OSR the weather has been stinking.

[gavin]

Having said that ever since I moved mine to OSR the weather has been stinking.

There was me blaming myself for perturbing the weather patterns by moving hives 100 miles east, but I'll gladly let you take the blame

I'm going to try moving more about 5 miles south (as the crow flies) and we'll see what that does. I don't normally add salt to my porridge so if I have to cry into it perhaps it will taste better.

[Jon]

Arey they getting anything at all from the Rape. My colonies are getting lighter on general forage at the moment. Great amounts of pollen coming in when the sun comes out.