Well its’ the first opportunity that’s been had to enter the hives and see what’s going on and OMG what a ‘mare!
Firstly Oonagh, Robert & Julia came to help as it was the first inspection since last year we met obstacles and problems all the way but it tested our limited experience and Oonaghs wealth. Thank you!
Yellow – last years Queen, doing well – floors changed and now on a brood and a half. Queen marked with a white spot, using my new Queen cage. Pretty fuss free by comparison to the others – brood and larvae present and she is a beauty.
They had done well on the fondant supplied – 3kg in total eaten.
On to the white and here the fun truly started – Mouse damage! Although overwintered on a brood and a half only using half the space thanks to the mouse. In addition there was sign of deformed wings on young bees = Varroa infestation! Although they had all been treated in January with Oxalic.
Eaten half pound of their own honey. We removed all drone comb and upon inspection discovered Varroa in abundance. Eggs, larvae & sealed brood, all present. They remain on a brood and half were treated with Hive Clean.
Onto the Green well the Queen had absconded, no brood larvae or anything else really going on. Therefore left with a dilemma. Left them to one side til insepction of the cream
Queen present but no eggs, larvae or sealed brood,So we decided to unite both Green & Cream colonies, using newspaper. Cream Green became pale blue hive.
All hives were bringing in plenty of pollen, but what had caused the problem was my leaving them with their honey. There must have been summer rape as most food stores had granulated on the comb as a consequence although strong when going into winter as accessible food stores diminished so did tthe bees and therefore he heat needed to keep the honey stores liquid.
Lesson learnt – don’t leave them with their own honey syrup feed stores are what they must be left with.
All in all a depressing although productive session. Not a single sting between us and we had them open for quite a while.I now need to work out how I am going to get this honey off the comb and what to do with it – flippin mare as still got honey left from last year!
Well hopefully it will all be Ok from this point on, now that everyone has clean floors, drawn comb and foundation and food stores where the remain have been scored.
I’ll keep you posted as to how I go.
Aside from that Terence has escaped to chase Pleasants and was found just in time before he discovered 8 dudks and a very deepsided mini lake in our neighbours garden.
Teresa is doing well but Lulu is having a tough time with her diability an now has a bit of an eye problem.
Since my last time of writing, Doris has died – heart attack at the vets BUT we have a Rhode Island Red who has joined the gang, she goes by the name of Gloria!
The blossom is emerging and the temperature steadily rising. So we jys hope for good warm weather to help my struggling Bees.
