Next thing we know there is havoc in the Hives. There I was thinking everything was all in order but then I was ready for them and their antics and me oh my have they had some fun testing me to see if I knew what I was doing and I think I was caught unawares but fingers crossed we have survived the month. As a Bee Keeper there is really no good time to go on holiday apparently and I was hesitant about going to Scotland but I what the hell we can’t have life dictated by Bees, can we?
White Hive – Although a National I decided that with going away the second week in May I should probably put them on a Brood and a half as they were filling up nicely. The rape and blossom were out things could go POP while I was away. So the gals got a Brood and a half and a super at the beginning of the month, as so much food I gave them foundation.
Green Hive – 2009 Queen was to away she had gotten started in the brood building stakes. But eventually they got off to a flying start, not literally. They were also put on a brood and a half and a super at the beginning of the month as on a WBC. I figured that the emerging brood would like to have some work to do so with some fresh foundation so I removed some food as they had stacks and loaded them up.
Blue Hive – 2008 Queen – Hello what was going on here then? No Queen and no fresh eggs – Flippin eck this wasn’t good How could Peter and I have missed something, I knew we hadn’t seen her but this wasn’t good. Aaaarrggghhh! 3 Queen cells all capped We completely missed them, we had torn down the cups the previous inspection. Didn’t know what to make of it really but decided that I would leave until my final inspection before going away.
So I spent an evening making up frames before I left, supers and brood just so everything was ready for use while I was gone as dearest Oliver was going to do an inspection while I was away, just to be sure. Preparation, preparation, preparation.Having everything ready to go I had one last job to do before we left…..The Bees.
Barrow loaded I ventured forth to the Apiary, I had frames of foundation for supers, brood,food, tools the works. And in I went knowing that my dear husband was waiting for us to go!
First into the White: There they were, loads of Bees! Uh oh I checked through every frame looking for Queen cells and cups, but I was in the clear – Nada. But as there were so many I decided to add another super as the nectar was coming in thick n fast along with the pollen.
I then decided to do the Green as I had a good feeling about them, and they were rocking so I added another super. Feeling happy and confident that my time was going according to plan.
What to do with the Blue? I knew that there was no Queen and really not sure what I was going to find, no Bees half the Bees or what? Were the Queen cells still there to haunt me. I had spoken to a couple of people and they suggested tearing down cells transplanting them and doing technical stuff but I decided that this was too risky as all v close to one another.
So I made a decision let nature take it’s course and this is what I did…. I left them alone rearranged the brood chamber by taking the undrawn foundation and putting on the outside of the main brood frames. Left them with a super of drawn comb closed them up and told them to wait until I got home before doing anything stupid.
Then I ran around like a loony! Building 2 dummy hives with foundation, located them in 2 separate sites around the garden, put my kit away now hot n flustered and running late, dived into the shower and went on holiday!
Much to my disappointment I only saw 2 Hives while away and that was in Glencoe on someones well cared for Croft. Beyond that I nada. But what a great holiday, sunshine and rainbows all the way. Long walks along the coast, over and around bogs, round mountains and up hills. Brilliant.
Oliver checked the girls on the Saturday while I was away and said all was in order but still no Queen in the Blue.
We got home on the Wednesday and what with work I had to wait to check them. There was an apiary visit on the Saturday which was great, we had an influx of new members and there was the case of the Vanishing Queen at Julia’s which was great for us to inspect but not so good for her. But that said she did get a Queen from a fellow member who had a spare which he had just made a nuc with. I digress.
On a boiling hot Sunday John and I inspected my girls. Both Green and White were flourishing there was stacks of brood, lots of new bees including Drones and I was a very happy Bee Keeper. So into the Blue…. 5 frames in there she was, a brand new Queen not full bodied but there she was a beauty. All three cells were down but there was just one Queen and that’s all we need.
Todays inspection, the last of May, was full of activity too, I thought that there may be more trouble ahead as there were so many Drones and the Green was packed to the rafters. White Hive was behaving well still with space to lay and good levels of stores in the Supers. The brood and a half has paid off, it takes longer to go through them as there are 22 frames to check rather than 11.There were limited cups and I didn’t spot any Queen cells. They are almost ready to extract but I will add another super next week as I want them to thrive not starve and I think that last year I took too much from the colonies as they were very strong.
Blue Hive was doing OK, but due to the light I couldn’t be 100% sure that there were eggs. So I hope that she has been up to a seminary and returned safely as I didn’t spot her. If it’s been a success I will put her on a brood and a half so that they can build up strongly, which they will have to do now to see themselves through the winter. As soon as I see fresh eggs she will be clipped and marked – a task I will get help with.
And finally on to the Green. They are such lovely Bees, I love this colony they just amaze me every time I have a look at them. I admire their ability to be happy in their everyday and to watch them do their BeeHiveJive sharing information. Heavy supers off I began to get involved in the search for the Queen, 3 frames in on the half and I encountered 3 Queen cells! 1 capped 2 in process. I understood how I had missed these last time, they were in a warped frame and built into the fold, thwarted I decided to carry on and find my beautiful Queen with her green bindi. Luckily she was in the main brood chamber. I segregated her straight away with the excluder.
Leaving the mayhem of supers I got a second Hive (cream) ready and then ran in to get John and my book ‘Bees at the Bottom of the Garden’, an Artificial Swarm was about to take place – my first! 2 pairs of eyes and arms would make this job easier and it was. John is very good at Queen spotting and I guessed she would have moved half way through the Brood when we got back and there she was. We grabbed the frame and popped it into the new hive with a frame of food and filled it up with foundation. She was then put back into the original position, with the supers. Meanwhile the old brood boxes with Queen cells was put into the new position a metre to the left of the original.
As soon as the green hive was settled it began to roar and the lighting board was suddenly a mass of Bees who left to enter the green where their Queen awaited them. Incredible! I will check them on Monday to check that they have enough food -the green, the cream should be fine as they have 2 supers of food.
So there we have it my first artificial swarm – 3 Hives will hopefully become 4 and I may well have to do another with the White.
Menagerie
Sadly Doris died this month – RIP Doris.
Teresa never had any ducklings but this is a blessing in disguise we have decided and she seems to have had her broody phase and is enjoying paddling about the garden with Terence, while Lulu is now broody.
They started the month looking lovely and as the has month progressed we have become somewhat bedraggled. Terence is losing he breeding plumage and is once again become a brown duck but he looks extremely scruffy as the transition takes place. Teresa has managed to retain her dignity and feathers so far and is still a very pretty little thing. However, Lulu has been to the vet as she was constantly pulling at her feathers and had little bald patches on her under carriage. Given an antibiotic and a spot on treatment she is now recovering, we get a short moment to check that all is well when she finally pops out of the Duck House for a manic moment. But she seems to be OK still as vocal as ever and does the crazy Lulu hobble around the garden Love her to bits.
Harold and Dot are happy together and don’t seem to notice Doris’ absence, sad but true.
New daily visitors include a couple of Partridges, who are highly entertaining and no one seems to mind them as they are delightful, if somewhat noisy.
As for the cats they are as delightful as ever!
Garden
Well I was doing really well and then while we were away there were 2 nights of hard frost! Need I say more?Everything in the Greenhouse is thriving, unfortunately I had planted a lot out before I went away. 
(The new bed is filling out and I am pleased with the outcome, but the weeds are a comin’.
