Weekly Inspection 21st May

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Well the weather has finally improved with temperatures 15C – 20C and no rain. Forecast is for more of the same. Plenty of forage: Chesnut, Lilac, Broom and Hawthorn. Dandelions still around.

Apiary has expanded considerable with colony purchased , 2 swarms and a bait hive success.

Started uniting colonies as the original 4 are on the decline still and won’t survive the season. Will take a final decision of which ones to unite in the next couple of weeks. For now it looks like Cyan is on its last legs, just emerging drone brood – no queen or even a drone layer – so uniting with Aqua. Put Cyan on top and newspaper in between.

Looks like I‘ll be busy making up frames over the next week or so as I need more brood frames and some supers with fresh foundation.

Put out bait hive for second time.

Weekly Inspection 13th May

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Weather starting to improve – temperatures around15°C but still quite wet. Plenty of forage out with Chesnut, hawthorn main sources.

Inspected both sites as I wanted to get samples for the local association health clinic. Given the state of my bees I suspect that they have Nosema as they are not expanding as they should now that Spring has arrived.

No brood in 2 of the colonies which is worrying, so will give them another week before acting further.

 

Results of Health Clinic show heavy nosema in 2 of the 4 hives.

Weekly Inspection 7th May

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Weather has still been poor – cold and wet with temperatures struggling to get above 15°C. Plenty of forage around with Apple, Lilac, Dandelion & Chesnut.

I’m having a tough time with my colonies as they seem to be going queenless. The introduced queens don’t seem to have been accepted – have’t seen them and no real brood in 2 of the 3 home apiary colonies.

Will need to hope that they pick up or I get lucky and pick up a swarm.