Author Topic: Very busy bees (Read 3288 times)

benkt · « **on:** May 28, 2012, 10:24:17 pm »

Wow! We've collected our third swarm in ten days. All three hives now full of buzzing bees and all before the rain forecast for later in the week.

Greenerlife · « **Reply #1 on:** May 28, 2012, 10:53:24 pm »

Crazy isn't it? 2 swarms a day for the last five days!

Beeducked · « **Reply #2 on:** May 29, 2012, 10:27:00 pm »

Hoping my remaining hive won't after the steps taken at the weekend. Not convinced but next weekend is my first chance to AS them so will have to keep my fingers crossed.

Small Farmer · « **Reply #3 on:** May 29, 2012, 11:00:04 pm »

OH has her hands full with all her hives plus her mentor group's hives doing repeat swarms. The artificial swarm seems not to have worked well this year. I've lost count of the number: an odd year.

Moleskins · « **Reply #4 on:** May 29, 2012, 11:54:56 pm »

Quote from: Small Farmer on May 29, 2012, 11:00:04 pm

OH has her hands full with all her hives plus her mentor group's hives doing repeat swarms. The artificial swarm seems not to have worked well this year. I've lost count of the number: an odd year.

In my opinion every year is odd when it comes to bee keeping, that's what keeps it interesting.

Plantoid · « **Reply #5 on:** May 31, 2012, 11:30:11 pm »

Don't forget to treat the hived swarms for varroa and nosema as soon as they are settled in ..no point in growing big problems etc.

Small Farmer · « **Reply #6 on:** June 02, 2012, 05:03:28 pm »

We just count the varroa that drop through to the bottom of the hive where we have a white sheet. There isn't any chemical treatment available anyway for this time of year, is there? If the weekly numbers rose significantly we'd using icing sugar but it annoys the bees so we only treat when there's a proven need.

pottsie · « **Reply #7 on:** June 05, 2012, 06:21:11 pm »

Just got my first swarm collected last week, nearly had another but didnt have a spare hive in time. I know an old keeper in the next village been keeping bees 30 years and has lost 10 hives already this year. My original hive was getting full but i hope ive resolved that by putting some brood from that hive in with the new, should also give them a boost with numbers.