Apiary Report – Jan/Feb/March 2020.
Although the year began with a promise of an early Spring things soon turned sour.
At the end of January/beginning of February, my bees were flying and bringing in Hazel pollen.
From the second week in Feb to date (28Feb) I didn’t see a flying bee at home or at the apiary.
Following regular flying visits (Like it?) to the apiary following the high winds, it would appear that all but one of the colonies (weak nuc) have to date, survived.
If the weather ever breaks, and we get a few consecutive days of fine weather it is my intention to have a quick check to see that the clusters are in contact with their stores and carry out any necessary frame manipulations, being careful not to disturb the actual cluster.
I WOULD STRESS THAT THIS IS NOT A PRACTICE ADVOCATED BY ALL BEEKEEPERS.
For anyone who is interested in this practice I will email members when I intend to carry them out.
As these manipulations are weather dependent, notification will be at short notice.
With the lengthening days and relatively mild weather queens will soon start to lay, confinement and brood expansion means that stores will be used up quickly.
It is widely acknowledged that more colonies stave in March and April than in the winter, as a minimum precaution, hefting hives regularly is imperative from late February until the weather improved sufficiently for the bees to forage.
Hopefully, it want be too long before we can resume the apiary visits.
In the first few sessions, we will be replacing floors, brood boxes and where necessary brood frames.
As all equipment was cleaned last season before being put back into storage, this should be straight forward enough.
As there will be considerably fewer bees in the hive at this time of year it would be a convenient opportunity to check that the queen is the one you are expecting and to mark/remark as appropriate.
Look forward to seeing you all at the apiary.
Keith.
