Popular Post tudor 1,568 Posted August 5, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted August 5, 2015 Well, it's that fabulous time of the year when the mornings are drawing out, the sun is shining quite a lot, we still have frosts but the days warm up, and the bees are flying. So, for hobby beekeepers the indicators of success are drawing near: hives survive through the winter stores have been enough to help through the cold of the winter hives start to build up in Spring queens are doing well and laying workers, not drones And we have planned for this next season, and have enough kit and treatments for varroa. And in the next few weeks it will be time to open hives for that first inspection, and as well as housekeeping, looking at all the things we think about each time: Bee numbers: few, sufficient to cover brood, lots lots Queen right, look for eggs and young larvae Brood type and state (eggs, open, closed), queen cells Disease or abnormality : bees: deformed wings, lots dead bees brood: AFB, varroa status Stores sufficient to last until the next inspection Room sufficient And no need to feed unless there is a crisis, the bees will bring along their hive as the season develops - and you don't want to push them into swarming ... I really love this time of the year - and all times of the year. 5 Link to post Share on other sites
Shaun 1,555 Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 Opened a few hives today. Feed, 3 rest were okay. 2 strong hives had modest patches of capped drone brood along side the 5 or 6 frames of worker brood. Looks like it could be game on real soon (swarming season) 4 Link to post Share on other sites
Popular Post Cyathea 354 Posted August 5, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted August 5, 2015 yes, some of our sites are going bananas, loads of brood the works, other sites a bit quieter, but still looking good. i am finding the differences in development between the geographic sites really quite interesting. most of our hives are double boxes so hoping swarming doesn't become too much of a problem, but will be keeping a close eye on them all regardless, partly just out of nosiness, it's my first real season to be able to watch the buildup, and it's very enjoyable we had to clean out a colony from under a fallen tree the other day, it was really interesting to see the bees clustering gamely in the open, but with a lot of brood and honey, we think this was a last seasons swarm which has only been discovered when someone wanted to cut the tree up for firewood. cut the combs off, and put them into a hive, left it there hoping the queen is in there and the bees will take to their new home. must go look at them in a day or two to see what they are up to. 5 Link to post Share on other sites
Popular Post Kirsty 38 Posted August 5, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted August 5, 2015 Brilliant info, thanks Tudor. My one small nuc got off to a really rough start with heavy varroa infestation, then got completely robbed out, madly treated & been feeding over winter. Checked last week, looks very healthy, no afb seen, Varroa count only 1! and numbers have boomed with honey stores back again. Feeling optimistic & very proud for my tough warrior girls. Looking forward to experiencing my first honey flow this year 5 Link to post Share on other sites
tudor 1,568 Posted August 5, 2015 Author Share Posted August 5, 2015 Hi @Kirsty , what good news, it shows that determination and courage are important both in the beekeeper and the bees. Where about in NZ are you ? Link to post Share on other sites
Kirsty 38 Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 Waitakere - and keeping a very close eye out for AFB given its within 5km of me. With all the challenges our bees have to face from all angles..(nature AND humans) .its a wondrous thing they ever survive. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Trevor Gillbanks 6,847 Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 nd keeping a very close eye out for AFB given its within 5km of me. If you are meaning that you apairy is showing Red on Apiweb, then that means that AFB was found within 3 km of you site within the last 2 years. Not really very reliable information. However, as beekeepers we should all be keeping a very close eye out for AFB. and other diseases. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Kirsty 38 Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 Thanks Trevor but not i wasnt referring to the map at all, but rather notice from AsureQuality of a recently confirmed hive...and yes the grapevine confirmed it before the letter arrived so a good reliable heads up i think. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
annalilyvandenbroeke 5 Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 Waitakere - and keeping a very close eye out for AFB given its within 5km of me.With all the challenges our bees have to face from all angles..(nature AND humans) .its a wondrous thing they ever survive. Hi Kristy, I'm in Waitakere as well, and a newby beekeeper. Great to hear your story and please keep sharing. Are you a member of the Auckland Beekeeping Club by any chance? Link to post Share on other sites
Kirsty 38 Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 Yes i am a member of the ABC Link to post Share on other sites
annalilyvandenbroeke 5 Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 Yes i am a member of the ABC Cool, then we'll probably meet at one of their field days! Link to post Share on other sites
glynn 1,517 Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 We still have a few weeks to go 3 Link to post Share on other sites
yesbut 6,232 Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Is that Porter"s ? 1 Link to post Share on other sites
glynn 1,517 Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Yes Link to post Share on other sites
Katikita 375 Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 BRRRRRRRRRRRRR:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::mask::mask::mask::sleep::sleep::sleep: It's still hibernation time;) Link to post Share on other sites
Bron 2,780 Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 Freezing, it's snowing in them there hills. So pleased I moved to the warmth. Yeah right! Link to post Share on other sites
Janice 3,991 Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 The day Tudor wrote this my bees were all flying. But the poor things have been inside for days now out of the frost, snow and sleet, and it's too cold to open the hives to see what's going on Link to post Share on other sites
Gavin Smith 446 Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 What a contrast, grafted first QC's here today. I like warm.:devil: 1 Link to post Share on other sites
tudor 1,568 Posted August 11, 2015 Author Share Posted August 11, 2015 The day Tudor wrote this my bees were all flying. But the poor things have been inside for days now out of the frost, snow and sleet, and it's too cold to open the hives to see what's going on Hi @Janice Yesterday it was very cold and frosty and sunny, and bees were flying madly bringing in pollen and (presumably) nectar. It was wearing beanie time, and not sleeves rolled up time. Maybe our bees are just tough, and also we have lots of micro-climates, and have sited most the apiaries to be sheltered and sunny. But too soon to say how they have come through ... and I am not opening hives at all yet, let them decide until it warms up. And the Club hives are still in the frost and shade at 10:30 am ... all bees inside. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Janice 3,991 Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 I've had bees flying from all five hives in that nice spell a couple of weeks ago, fetching pollen, but I hope they haven't cranked up too much yet with this cold spell. Link to post Share on other sites
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