Lorna, Jennifer, Paz and I completed todays check. Its the last main check of the year. We have a quick look through checking for stores which were ample in both hives. There are certainly lots of bees and brood, we also saw the queen in the first hive.

We removed the entrance blocks and with great difficulty due to thick gloves pinned the mouse guards in position. We also put a block of fondant on each. I forgot to turn the frames around to the 'warm way' so will have to go back next week to do it, the bees were getting a bit tetchy so didnt want to open up again today. The warm way means the frames being parallel to the front wall so that any drafts are blocked by the first frame across the front. Bees prefer the frames at 90 degrees for easy access but we will turn them back in the spring. Not mush varroa which is as expected.

In the bottom of the 2nd hive we found this (above)! It might be an old wax moth cocoon. We did see a wax moth earlier in the season but not since. Its about 4cm long with a definite breathing hole, pretty sure its dead (it had better be its on my desk!) Any suggestions??

Also I saw this spider at the weekend, yuk! any amateur
entomologists able to identify it?