A Good Feeling

I get a real good feeling when I see a new queen has come into lay and the brood is fine and healthy; although I have yet to see a 2014 queen, I now have hives with them present and sealed brood which means the queen is there, mated and laying. I will get another "feelgood factor" when I do see the queens!

Rain Again..... Hives a' Heaving!

I have a new friend, grey cloud. Every week on my day off to do bees grey cloud likes to tag along, teasing and toying as to when the deluge will be; before I start, right in the middle of a hive inspection, or struggling back to the Jimny loaded down with gear! Grey cloud likes to make an impression and has become a good friend over the last 5 weeks!! I have asked that he might take a summer vacation, perhaps go abroad, see the world. I would welcome him back come autumn!!!
The bees are certainly packing in stores at the moment and the queens laying at full tilt. Making for heavy supers and bulging brood boxes. Mind you I am not complaining. In fact long may it continue!

Time To Remove Rape Honey

The fields of yellow by me are quickly turning dull green; so now is the time to remove Rape honey before it granulates and sets in the comb. Checking the hives, some honey is ready but an awful lot is still nectar which will need watching carefully over the next few weeks- if the bees process it into honey it must come off. However they may need to consume it which sorts the problem.

WET!

Got wet today trying to do my bees. In fact I got soaked. The bees were understandably not happy so I only did the bare minimum (but this included 5 artificial swarms on one site - good job I didn't leave queen cages hanging on gate posts!!). Forgive my sarcasm!!

Maybe it's my age but...

The season seems to be well advanced this year. Maybe because last Spring was so cold and late. The bees are building up well, the Oilseed rape is in full bloom; all the plants and trees seem weeks ahead of themselves (as indeed do the bees). I am not complaining although I find myself almost playing catch up with equipment and keeping on top of things. Maybe it is my age! Oh dear!!

Swarming

For me, today, the swarming season has started; I have carried out 3 artificial swarms.
The bees were very tetchy today, was it the cloudy weather or the Rape??

All Present And Correct.... And The Fields Are Turning Yellow!!

I checked all my colonies today and am really happy that they have all survived winter and are queen right. Whats more, as I drove to one site the fields nearby are turning distinctly yellow; the rape is coming into flower.