todays news

[Jon]

Beautiful looking hive compared to some of my correx monstrosities!

Just back in from another evening with a beginner group and some of the queen rearing group.
We got another 17 cells into apideas and 4 more cells went off to requeen colonies.

20 more will be ready for Apideas on Saturday.

[Calum]

cant write to u Jon your inbox is full...

[Jon]

cleared now

[GRIZZLY]

Took the roof off a recently hived swarm to check the level of feed.They had emptied the feed and were busy drawing comb.The heat coming off the bees thro' the holes in the crown board is quite amazing.Will take a thermometer up with me to check what temperature they have risen to.Whats the optimum temperature for wax and cell building ?.

[Neils]

Between 33 and 36 degrees C I believe.

[chris]

Rather too many scout bees looking at my chimney this morning. I've put 2 bait hives (a 5 frame nuc and a 10 frame hive) nearby and that is also receiving lots of visitors.Fingers crossed. Or should I spray some insecticide up the chimney? Joke joke joke..........................

[Jon]

If the scouts are from your own bees you could get the scissors out and find your queen.
Might be a good time to light a smokey fire.

[chris]

No, they're coming from down the valley, so are either feral or René's. Can't light a fire as I know that chimney is full of old comb and so I'll be smoked out before the bees.And I'd never stick my head in one of René's hives.
Do you think scouts would try to protect a prospective home? I've been watching what looked like guard bee behaviour, with a little *in-fighting*.

[Trog]

I was alerted to a swarm yesterday by an enquiring bee at the kitchen window ... and found it in the blackthorn by the apiary. Safely hived. Had hoped to check hives this morning but very cold. Sun's out now so will take a look after lunch maybe.

[Wraith]

My extractor has arrived very happy I have all new queens on order. And I now have a second farmer happy to have bees. So Now have two sites.