[cloddopper]

In between the weather upsets has anyone been looking in their hives in the last few days  ?
 If so how much brood ....... sealed or unsealed did you find ? Also what state were the hive stores in honey , beebread &  pollen ......... good or well down ?

[BKeeper]

In our location it is still a little early to be inspecting colonies.  There is plenty of scope for a cold spell yet.
All the queen excluders and supers were put on yesterday (31st March) and  because of the uncertainty of the weather I use the newspaper method.  That is were a single sheet of newspaper is placed beneath the excluder and before the super is added.  That way the individual colonies can choose their own pace of expansion without the risk of chilled brood.  In the centre of each super there was placed one frame of fresh foundation so as to give the new wax makers something to do and thereby one starts the long process of swarm prevention.

[Sudanpan]

@BKeeper - do you make any slits in the newspaper or just rely on the bees making inroads when they decide they need the space? Your method sounds interesting
I haven't managed to look in our hives yet - last Sat would've been perfect but we were away. Other colleagues in our Beekeepers Group who have inspected have reported pretty advanced conditions in the hives - many with up to 7 frames of Brood and also with significant signs of drone brood in its way. The considered opinion is that swarming could get in swing pretty early this year here in West Cornwall.
I am hoping to get in to have a look tomorrow as the weather is set to be fine.

[BKeeper]

Sudanpan:  In the past I would put a couple of slits in the newspaper with the hive tool but this year, as an experiment, I have left the newspaper untouched and so as to see what will happen.....

I will therefore report back later.

[BKeeper]

I now report on my message of 1st April:

Within two days of the supers being put on using the newspaper method, the strongest one third of the colonies had eaten through the paper and were starting to occupy the supers.  I put a small hole in the newspaper of the remaining colonies so that the bees can go up when they are ready.

[ZacB]

BKeeper - excellent tip, haven't heard this one before but certainly one I will be remembering 

[cloddopper]

B keeper , you mentioned putting un drawn foundation in the supers for the wax producers to draw out  & related it to a step in swarm prevention .
 
 If comb needs to be made enough bees will take the command to make it , do they then revert back to previous duties like nurse maids or go on to to other bee duties such as foragers & water carriers , hive cleaners & cooling teams or are they set for life to only produce wax .

 I seem to recall figures of several pounds of honey per super being the cost of bees drawing out foundation does that seem correct in your mind?