29th June - Laying Workers

Welcome to the Petersfield & District Beekeeper's Apiary Blog for 2014. It is intended to publish here all the activities that take place in the apiary.

For security reasons please do not mention geographic or personal details when posting a comment.

General Apiary
Temperature 20C, weather sunny. Time 14:30

Due to being required for BBKA Basic Assessments tomorrow, hives #1 & #2 were not inspected. Presence of Drone Brood required for Basic Assessment use.

Hive #3
Instructor: TB
Class: General

Deep Brood
Queen (Green 2014) not seen.
14 unsealed Queen Cells. Knoched down all bar 2.
6 frames sealed brood.
2 frame of stores.

Supers (1)
Being drawn.
1/5 frame stores.

General
Bee Temper: 7.

Hive #4
Instructor: RW
Class: Novice

Deep Brood
Queen (Green 2014) seen marking wearing off.
No Queen Cells
8 frames brood in all stages and eggs including drone.
8 frames stores.

Supers (2)
Top super with 9 frames of capped stores 3/4 full.
Bottom super not yet drawn. Moved to Hive #6.

Bee Temper: 8
 

Hive #5
Instructor: RW
Class: Novice

14x12 Brood
Deep frame inpart filled with pollen.
Foundation frames not drawn. Shook swarmed 1/6.

Shallow Brood (Castellated)
Queen seen Green (2014).
No Queen Cells.
7 farmes brood in all stages including drone and eggs.
2 frames stores.

General
Bee Temper: 9

Hive #6
Instructor: BD
Class: Beginner

Deep Brood
Queen (2014) unmarked not seen.
No Queen Cells
7 frames of brood including drone and eggs..
3 half frames of stores.

Shallow Brood
Queen (2014) unmarked not seen.
No Queen Cells
9 frames of brood including drone.
3 frames stores - moved to super and replaced with drawn comb.

Supers(1)
9 frames with stores.
Added shallow box of foundation.

General
Bee Temper: 8

Hive #7
Instructor: BD
Class: General

Deep Brood
Queen not seen
No Queen Cells.
Only 1 frame partially drawn. Shook swarmed 1/6.

Shallow Brood (Castellated)
Queen not seen.
Suspected 'King' Cells rasied on drone brood.
Only frame with worker brood was test frame inserted 2 weeks ago. Replaced old test frame with new test frame.
1 frame of drone brood.
Equivalent of 6 frames stores.

General
Bee Temper: 6
Suspect Laying Workers.

Hive #8
Instructor: TB
Class: General

Deep Brood
Queen (Green 2014) seen.
5 Queen Cells moved 1 to nuc knocked down rest of queen cells. Trying to keep colony available for Basic Assesments over next 2 weeks.
5 frames brood including eggs. 2 moved to nuc replaced with foundation.
3 frames stores. 1 moved to nuc replaced with foundation.

Supers (2)
Comb drawn in lower box with some stores.
4 combs drawn in top super.

General
Bee Temper: 7

Hive #9
Instructor: LH
Class: General

14x12 Brood
Queen not seen.
No Queen Cells.
2 frames with brood all drone.
1 partially drawn frame. Shook swarmed 1/6.

Shallow Brood Castellated
Queen not seen
No Queen Cells.
Largely full of sealed drone brood.
1 frames of stores.
Queen eXcluder inserted between boxes to confine drones to top shallow box..

General
Bee Temper: 8
Laying Workers - Colony shaken out and stock dispersed.

Nucleus #10
Formed from Hive #8, see above.

Summary
9 Stocks
6 Queenright (not #3, #7, #10)
5 with Marked Queens (not  #6)
6 with Supers (not #5, #7, #10)
4 with Marked Queens and Supers (#1. #2, #4, #8)

22nd June - Flaming June

Welcome to the Petersfield & District Beekeeper's Apiary Blog for 2014. It is intended to publish here all the activities that take place in the apiary.

For security reasons please do not mention geographic or personal details when posting a comment.

General Apiary
Temperature 20C, weather sunny. Time 14:30

Potential for holding BBKA Basic Assessments June/July being explored.

Hive #1

Instructor:LH

Class: General

Deep Brood
Queen (Yellow 2014) seen.
No Queen Cells.
Brood in all stages and eggs.
Stores adequate.
Foundation frame moved into brood nest.

Supers (2)
No details.

General
Bee Temper: 9.

Hive #2
Instructor: TB
Class: General

Deep Brood
Queen (Green 2014) seen.
No Queen cells.
5 frames brood in all stages including drone.
1.5 frame stores.

Super(1)
5 frames stores.

General
Bee Temper: ?

Hive #3
Instructor: TB
Class: General

Deep Brood
Queen (Green 2014) seen.
10 unsealed Queen Cells. Lack of drawn comb to lay in, added 3 drawn frames and kocked down all Queen Cells.
6 frames brood in all stages.
1 frame of stores.

Supers (1)
Being drawn

General
Bee Temper: 10.

Hive #4
Instructor: RW
Class: General

Deep Brood
Queen (Green 2014) seen marking wearing off.
No Queen Cells
7 frames brood in all stages and eggs including drone.
7 frames stores.

Supers (2)
Top super with 9 frames of capped stores.
Bottom super not yet drawn.

Bee Temper: 8

Hive #5
Instructor: PR
Class: General

14x12 Brood
Deep frame inpart filled with pollen.
Foundation frames not drawn. Shook swarmed 1/6.

Shallow Brood (Castellated)
Queen seen Green (2014).
No Queen Cells.
6 farmes brood in all stages. No drone brood.
3 frames stores.

General
Bee Temper: 9

Hive #6
Instructor: PR
Class: General

Deep Brood
Queen (2014) not seen.
No Queen Cells
7 frames of brood no drone.
No stores.

Shallow Brood
Queen not seen.
No Queen Cells
6 frames of brood including drone.
4 frames stores

Supers(1)
4 frames stores.

General
Bee Temper: 8

Hive #7
Instructor: PR
Class: General

Deep Brood
Queen not seen
No Queen Cells
No drawn frames. Shook swarmed 1/6. Beginning to draw.

Shallow Brood (Castellated)
Queen not seen.
No queen cells on test frame inseed last week but young unsealed queen cells elsewhere.
Test frame plus one other frame with brood (4-5 day old larvae).
Equivalent of 6 frames stores.

General
Bee Temper: 6
Possible newly mated queen. Consider test frame next week if required.

Hive #8
Instructor: BD
Class: Novice

Bottom Deep Brood
Queen (Unmarked 2014) not seen.
No Queen Cells.
No brood
Very few stores.

Top Deep Brood
Queen seen and marked Green.
No Queen Cells.
2 frames brood no drone brood.
8 frames stores.

Supers (2)
0 frames of stores

General
Bee Temper: 6
Bottom deep brood removed.

Hive #9
Instructor: TB
Class: General

14x12 Brood
Queen not seen.
No Queen Cells.
2 frames with brood.
1 partially drawn frame. Shook swarmed 1/6.

Shallow Brood Castellated
Queen not seen
No Queen Cells.
Largely full of sealed drone brood.
1 frames of stores.
Queen eXcluder inserted between boxes to confine drones to top shallow box..

Bee Temper: 10

Summary
9 Stocks
8 Queenright (not #7)
7 with Marked Queens (not #7, #9)
7 with Supers (not #5, #7)
6 with Marked Queens and Supers (#1. #2, #3, #4, #6, #8)

15th June - Fathers Day

Welcome to the Petersfield & District Beekeeper's Apiary Blog for 2014. It is intended to publish here all the activities that take place in the apiary.

For security reasons please do not mention geographic or personal details when posting a comment.

General Apiary
Temperature 18C, weather cloudy. Time 14:30

Potential for holding BBKA Basic Assessments June/July being explored.

Spare Stock
0 x Queen excluders
1 x Deep with frames and foundation
1 x Shallow with 6 frames and foundation.
1 x Open Mesh Floor.
2 x Empty 5 frame Nucleus Boxes
Plenty empty shallow boxes, deep boxes, cover boards and roofs.

Hive #1

Instructor:LH

Class: General

Deep Brood
Queen (Yellow 2014) seen.
No Queen Cells.
Brood seen, few eggs.
Stores adequate.

Supers (2)
Stores adequate.

General
Bee Temper: 9.

Hive #2
Instructor: TB
Class: General

Deep Brood
Queen (Green 2014) seen.
No Queen cells.
5 frames brood in good pattern.
0.5 frame stores.

Super(1)
4 frames stores from other hives added to foundation over Queen eXcluder.

General
Feed given 12/6 all gone. Feeder removed.
Bee Temper: 10
 

Hive #3
Instructor: TB
Class: General

Deep Brood
Queen (Green 2014) seen.
No Queen Cells.
5 frames brood in all stages.
1 frame of stores.

Supers (1)
Being drawn

General
Feed given 12/6 all gone. feeder removed.
Bee Temper: 8.

Hive #4
Instructor: RW
Class: General

Deep Brood
Queen (Green 2014) seen marking wearing off.
No Queen Cells
5 frames brood.
7 frames stores.

Supers (2)
Top super of undrawn foundation put under super with 7 frames of capped stores.

Bee Temper: 8
 

Hive #5
Instructor: PR
Class: General

14x12 Brood
Test frame introduced last week cleaned out of eggs and larvae. New eggs in place.
Foundation frames not drawn. Shook swarmed 1/6.

Shallow Brood (Castellated)
Queen seen and marked Green (2014).
No Queen Cells.
2 frames stores.

General
Bee Temper: 8
Feed given 12/6 all gone. Needs more feeding.

Hive #6
Instructor: PR
Class: General

Deep Brood
Queen (2014) not seen.
No Queen Cells
7 frames of brood
No stores.

Shallow Brood
Queen not seen.
No Queen Cells
6 frames of brood
4 frames stores

Supers(1)
4 frames stores.

General
Feed given 12/6 gone, feeder removed.
Bee Temper: 7

Hive #7
Instructor: PR
Class: General

Deep Brood
Queen not seen
No Queen Cells
No drawn frames. Shook swarmed 1/6.

Supers (1) Castellated
Equivalent of 8 frames stores.
Removed Queen eXcluder and put in test shallow frame.

General
Bee Temper: 2
Strongly suspect as being Queenless.

Hive #8
Instructor: TB
Class: Novice

Bottom Deep Brood
Queen (Unmarked 2014) seen.
No Queen Cells.
No brood
Adequate stores.

Top Deep Brood
Queen not seen
No Queen Cells.
2 frames brood
6 frames stores.

Supers (2)
0 frames of stores

Bee Temper: 7

Hive #9
Instructor: LH
Class: General

14x12 Brood
Queen not seen.
No Queen Cells.
1 frame with brood.
Only 1 partially drawn frame but bees working. Shook swarmed 1/6.

Supers (1) Castellated
4 Queen Cells removed.
2 frames of stores.
Queen eXcluder removed.

Bee Temper: 8

Summary
9 Stocks
8 Queenright (not #7)
6 with Marked Queens (not #8, #7, #9)
6 with Supers (not #5, #7, #9)
5 with Marked Queens and Supers (#1. #2, #3, #4, #6)

12th June - Midweek Trustee Visit

General
Attendees: TB; FW; RW
Hive #'s 2;3;5 & 6 fed 2 pints medium syrup.

8th June - 9 Colonies Inspected

Welcome to the Petersfield & District Beekeeper's Apiary Blog for 2014. It is intended to publish here all the activities that take place in the apiary.

For security reasons please do not mention geographic or personal details when posting a comment.

General Apiary
Temperature 21C, weather sunny. Time 14:30

Hive #1

Instructor:LH

Class: General

Deep Brood
Queen (Yellow) seen.
No Queen Cells.
Brood seen, few eggs.
Stores adequate.

Supers (2)
Stores adequate.

General
Bee Temper: 9.

Hive #2
Instructor: NP
Class: General

Deep Brood
Queen (Green) seen.
No Queen cells.
3 frames brood in good pattern.
0.5 frame stores - low.

Bee Temper: 9

Hive #3
Instructor: TB
Class: General

Deep Brood
Queen (Green) seen.
No Queen Cells.
5 frames brood in all stages. 1 frame donated to Hive #8 as test frame.
Low on stores

Supers (1)

General
Bee Temper: 10.

Hive #4
Instructor: FW
Class: General

Deep Brood
Queen seen and marked Green.
No Queen Cells
4 frames brood, none sealed. 1 frame donated to Hive #5 as test frame.
6 frames stores.

Supers (2)

Bee Temper: 9
 

Hive #5
Instructor: FW
Class: General

14x12 Brood
Queen not seen, appears queenless majority of bees in super.
Queen eXcluder removed.
Test frame introduced from Hive #4.

Bee Temper: 8

Hive #6
Instructor: FW
Class: General

Deep Brood
Queen not seen.
No Queen Cells
4 frames of brood
No stores.

Shallow Brood
Queen not seen.
No Queen Cells
6 frames of brood
4 frames stores

Supers(1)

Bee Temper: 8

Hive #7
Instructor: TB
Class: General

Deep Brood
Queen not seen
No Queen Cells
No drawn frames

Supers (1)
Equivalent of 8 frames stores.

Bee Temper: 8

Hive #8
Instructor: BD
Class: Novice

Bottom Deep Brood
Queen not seen
Number of emerged Queen Cells and sealed Queen Cells with dead pupae.
No brood
Adequate stores.

Top Deep Brood
Queen not seen
Number of emerged Queen Cells and sealed Queen Cells with dead pupae.
Inserted test frame from Hive #3.
No brood
Adequate stores.

Supers (2)

Bee Temper: 9

Hive #9
Instructor: TB
Class: General

14x12 Brood
Queen not seen
No drawn frames but bees working.

Supers (1)
5 frames of stores.

Bee Temper: 7

1st June - Shook Swarm

Welcome to the Petersfield & District Beekeeper's Apiary Blog for 2014. It is intended to publish here all the activities that take place in the apiary.

For security reasons please do not mention geographic or personal details when posting a comment.

General Apiary
Temperature 20C, weather sunny. Time 14:30

Hive #4 not inspected as awaiting establishment of new queen (sealed Queen Cell 11/5).
Hive #6 not inspected as awaiting establishment of new queen (sealed Queen Cell 11/5).
Hive #8 not inspected as awaiting establishment of new queen (sealed Queen Cell 18/5).

Hives #5; #7; #9 subjected to precautionary Shook Swarm after EFB detected in area they came from 2 weeks ago.

Hive #1

Instructor:LH

Class: General

Deep Brood, on grass.

Deep Brood
Queen (Yellow) seen.
No Queen Cells.
Brood seen, few eggs. Empty drawn frame moved next to brood nest.
Stores adequate.

Supers (2)
Stores adequate.

General
Bee Temper: 9.

Nucleus #2
Instructor: NP
Class: General
mating nucleus.

Frames
Queen seen marked Green.
No Queen cells.
1.5 frames brood in good pattern.
0.5 frame stores - low.
Transferred to deep brood box with 6 foundation frames as Hive #2.
 

Hive #3
Instructor: RW
Class: General
Deep Brood.

Deep Brood
Queen seen marked Green.
No Queen Cells.
5 frames brood in all stages.
Low on stores

General
Bee Temper: 10.
Added 11 frame foundation super.
 

Hive #5
Instructor: BD
Class: Improver
14x12.

General
Shook swarmed to deep brood box.
Emerged swarm cells found. Virgin? queen took flight during inspection, Queen excluder beneath brood box removed as consequence.
Very light super returned to hive,

Hive #7
Instructor: BD
Class: Improver
14x12 (Converter)

General
Shook swarmed to 14x12 brood box.
Queen not seen.
Light super returned to hive,

Hive #9
Instructor: BD
Class: Improver
14x12

General
Shook swarmed to 14x12 brood box.
Queen not seen.
Heavy super returned to hive,

20/21 May - Extra Colonies

Welcome to the Petersfield & District Beekeeper's Apiary Blog for 2014. It is intended to publish here all the activities that take place in the apiary.

For security reasons please do not mention geographic or personal details when posting a comment.

3 new colonies on 14x12 frames have been moved into the apiary. They have been recently checked by the SBI (22/4) and passed OK. The colonies come from an area with a history of EFB but as no EFB has been reported so far this year from that area the trustees agreed to forego a preventative shook swarm manipulation. The colonies have been positioned as hives #5; #7 and #9. All the hives have 1 super,

18th May - Blazing Sun

Welcome to the Petersfield & District Beekeeper's Apiary Blog for 2014. It is intended to publish here all the activities that take place in the apiary.

For security reasons please do not mention geographic or personal details when posting a comment.

General Apiary
Temperature 21C, weather sunny. Time 14:30

Hive #4 not inspected as awaiting establishment of new queen (sealed Queen Cell 11/5).
Hive #6 not inspected as awaiting establishment of new queen (sealed Queen Cell 11/5).

Hive #1

Instructor:TB

Class: General

Brood and half, on grass.

Deep Brood
Queen seen - marked yellow.
No Queen Cells.
3 frames brood
0 stores.

Supers (2)
6 frames stores.

General
Bee Temper: 9.

Nucleus #2
Instructor: FW
Class: Novice
mating nucleus.

Frames
Queen seen not marked.
No Queen cells.
3 frames brood.
1 frame stores.
 

Nucleus #3
Instructor: FW
Class: Bovice
mating nucleus.

Frames
Queen not seen.
No Queen Cells.
5 frames brood in all stages.
Low on stores
Bee Temper: 9.
Transferred to deep brood box with 6 additional foundation frames as Hive #3.
 

Hive #8
Instructor: RW
Class: General
Double Brood, on slab.

Bottom Deep Brood
No Queen seen.
8 Queen Cells removed.
6 frames of brood.
4 frames of stores.

Top Deep Brood
No Queen seen.
10 Queen Cells 1 sealed and 1 unsealed left, rest removed.
5 frames of brood.
3 frames stores.

Supers (2)

General
Bee Temper: 7