Apiray Visit 16th July 2017
Summary of apiary visit 16th July 2017
Apiary 16th July
Hive 1: 16th July was the earliest day we could expect the new queen to lay, but there were no eggs or larvae yet – check again next week. A large number of drones were present; bees seemed calm.
Next time: check for eggs/larvae – if new queen seen, mark her. Check for stores, pollen being brought in. Consider adding a frame of eggs if no sign of a laying queen.
Hive 2: the queen had been removed on 6th June to create a nuc: stores were OK, no eggs or larvae seen yet, bees seemed calm. Check again next week.
Next time: check for eggs/larvae, a laying queen. Consider adding a frame of eggs if no sign of a laying queen.
Hive 3: a high mite drop again; but excellent brood pattern, this hive would be a good source of eggs for hives 1 or 2, if need be – hopefully it won’t be necessary, as that would then mean 3 of our hives were from the same genetic line, which could be a bit risky. Syrup added as stores were running low, and it has a large population to feed.
Next time: Peter Stevenson volunteered to treat the hive with MAQ during the week. Check mitre drop.
Hive 6: at a new location – checked by Peter and David
Doing well – brood at all stages on 7-8 frames. Plenty stores. Bees calm. Primed queen cells noted. Needs to be inspected again soon.
Hive 7: at a new location – checked by Peter and David
No brood apart from 2 sealed and possibly unsealed queen cells noted. 1 sealed cell knocked down to reveal a developing queen. Very puzzling!
2 frames of brood with eggs taken from Hive6 and given to Hive7 on either side of the Queen cell – all marked by pins. Intention to slow down development of hive6 to discourage swarming and to check for queenlessness in Hive 7.
At least one nuc yet to be created from these hives: reserved.
(The empty hive 7 is with AC for cleaning, along with 3 empty nuc boxes)
Swarm 1 was bought and taken away by Duncan on Monday
Swarm 2: put in brood box, and syrup feed added.
Next time: check if ready to go.
Nuc 2: feed added, quite a small colony, only on 2 frames, but sealed worker brood seen, it should continue to build up. Continue to monitor and feed as necessary.
Nuc 3: bought and taken away by Ilknur and Brian.
Kailzie colonies: all doing well, 2 nucs available, a further nuc reserved.
Colonsay native honeybee colonies have been relocated; both have developed chalkbrood, possibly an indication that the previous location had insufficient forage and was too damp.
They seem to be thriving at their new site.
A further nuc at AC’s apiary, ready to go.
One of the nucs has been reserved by Em and Kelly, the other by Fiona MacAuley: this leaves potentially 3 nucs available.
For the next apiary visit: more record sheets needed; syrup needed; feeders have been taken away for cleaning and need to be returned. Syrup needed for small nuc.
There have been many reports from local beekeepers about problems of getting new queens established, and of queenless colonies rejecting both frames of eggs, new queens and even queen cells. For some reason it seems to be taking longer for queens to start laying.
