Bees have survived!

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Bees have survived!

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chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 08 12:04 pm Post subject: Bees have survived!

It's very mild here today, so I have girded my bee-loins and gone and had a rootle in our hives. Two out of the three have survived, which is what we expected, as the third was very weak in September.

One had a load of stores left and one I have fed ... so hopefully they'll survive any cold patches that pop up and we can artificially swarm them in the spring to fill the other two hives.

I've got some stuff called 'Flying Start' that you make up in to a paste and spread on the top of the frames in the brood chamber that is a pollen-substitute thingy, so I'm going to whack that in over the next couple of weeks.

Gosh, I feel smugly organised

Sarah D

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 2584

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 08 12:12 pm Post subject:
Far too early to open my hive here - I wait until it's 14 degrees, and/or the flowering currant is blooming, and don't open up until then. I haven't seen them flying yet either.

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 08 12:14 pm Post subject:
Both mine have failed we think, been over there on two mild days and no sign of life, havent been inside yet though

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 08 12:24 pm Post subject:
I was very careful - just whipped the lid off and popped the feeder on to the crown board - didn't go down in to the brood chamber at all. It has been really worrying me that they are flying so early and might be starving ...

lottie

Joined: 11 Aug 2005
Posts: 5059
Location: ceredigion

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 08 1:10 pm Post subject:
Just checked quickly this morning to see if they want food[no] they are out and about---a colony I thought had no chance of overwintering---a late cast-- seems o.k. so far---a real bonus

Mrs Fiddlesticks

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 10460

Posted: Sat Feb 09, 08 4:09 pm Post subject:

Tim went up there earlier today. Only briefly popped the top to see how the feed was doing but didn't really need to as there were plenty of bees flying and lots of comings and goings on the landing board. Pollen too - orange (like Sainsburys carrier bags) white (waitrose?) and yellow (think that's morrisons) so they're busy enough to be sure they're still about. Trying to work out what they'd be foraging on at the moment.

dougal

Joined: 15 Jan 2005
Posts: 7184
Location: South Kent

Posted: Sat Feb 09, 08 4:18 pm Post subject:

Mrs Fiddlesticks wrote:

... Trying to work out what they'd be foraging on at the moment.

Did you see my photos in the Alexanders thread?
https://forum.downsizer.net/viewtopic.php?p=501004#501004
To my novice eye, those look very like honey bees...

Sarah D

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 2584

Posted: Sat Feb 09, 08 4:24 pm Post subject:
I've seen a few of mine now too, so optimistic.

Mrs Fiddlesticks

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 10460

Posted: Sat Feb 09, 08 4:30 pm Post subject:

dougal wrote:

Mrs Fiddlesticks wrote:

... Trying to work out what they'd be foraging on at the moment.

Did you see my photos in the Alexanders thread?
https://forum.downsizer.net/viewtopic.php?p=501004#501004
To my novice eye, those look very like honey bees...

I think they're honey bees as well.

lottie

Joined: 11 Aug 2005
Posts: 5059
Location: ceredigion

Posted: Sat Feb 09, 08 6:06 pm Post subject:
All the pollen mine are bringing in is bright yellow---think it's gorse---there is loads in flower.

joanne

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7100
Location: Morecambe, Lancashire

Posted: Mon Feb 11, 08 10:04 am Post subject:
Ours have been extremely busy this weekend bringing in loads of pollen some very pale white, others bright yellow - fantastic weather for them at the moment - just hope she's not getting carried away laying yet - very tempted to open them up and have a nose yesterday as it was about 16C in the garden yesterday afternoon but I decided to go the cautious route and left well alone.

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