Tuesday 8 January 2013

Check 8 January 2013

I did a quick check today to see if the bees had enough food to tide them over until the spring. I took the anti woodpecker cage and badger ties off and hefted the back of the hive to feel the weight. It seemed quite heavy still so to make sure they were doing okay I took the roof off (bees still warm and snug under the crown board) to see how they were doing with the fondant. They had eaten about half of it and could be seen wandering very slowly around the packet. As they had started to come out to investigate the intrusion and light, I closed up. I didn't want them to come out en masse into the cold and get confused and not be able to get back. The mouse guard was clear and not too many dead bees on the plinth, only a few varroa on the board
Hopefully in a few weeks the weather will cheer up (and the rain hold off) and they will start to emerge. Thats when the danger of hunger really strikes when the bees are flying and the number of brood that needs feeding grows exponentially while the number of nurse bees is still low. Ill email all helpers as soon as the temperature stays consistently over 12 in prep for the start of maintenance checks

1 comment:

  1. Really looking forward to the new season! Hope we get some honey this year :)
    Lynsey

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