Today's Buzz!

[Keeper]

29th April, 10C, sunny intervals, gusty winds. We've experienced more up and down weather over the last weeks often keeping the bees inside. When the sun did come out so did the bees, and they worked furiously, bringing in a range of different pollens and some nectar. Today the weather was good enough for a quick check round the apiaries.

The garden hives all had comb built in the ekes, some with a little drone drone brood present. Fondant in the feeders had been mostly used up. A quick look at an end frame revealed fresh uncapped honey, and by carefully prizing the centre frames apart slabs of brood were evident. They had been busy. Feeders topped up.

Out apiary colonies had no comb in the ekes and the feeders were empty. These being at a higher altitude and more exposed were not as advanced as the home apiaries and looked a couple of weeks behind. Feeders topped up.

Going through the colonies thoroughly, marking queens, changing old frames, adding supers and rapid feeders etc would have been on the cards in a normal year, but the weather is too variable yet. These tasks will be carried out the next few days as the better weather forecasted permits (fingers crossed!).

[Keeper]

23rd March, 7C sunny spells, no rain. Last couple of weeks have been mostly cold and driech, but when sun has come out so have the bees, bringing various colours of pollen from the flowers, trees and shrubs that have come into flower. The gorse is in full bloom around the out apiary but haven't seen any honeybees on it.

Taking advantage of the break in the weather to check stores revealed a few of the feeders that needed topping up were showing signs of comb building inside. This is a good sign that the bees are making storage space, and that the supers will be going on soon. Sugar syrup and prepared supers at the ready!

[Keeper]

5th March, it's 9C and sunny but wind chill makes it feel positively chilly. Days are tangibly longer and the light quality much improved. The bees have noticed the change and are out as soon as the sun shines but back in just as fast when it clouds over. March - the spring danger zone! Beware of stores running out, and of isolation starvation.

Night temperatures have remained low and frequently sub-zero, with frosty mornings, but haven't deterred the spring flowers. Crocuses and snowdrops are in full flower and the daffodils are showing. All hives busy today with orange, yellow, cream, grey, and light brown pollen laden bees returning. They are coming out to forage more frequently now, plenty pollen to be had but nectar is still scarce, As the colony awakens to spring the increased activity means more stores are consumed but are not replenished at the same rate. No surprise that all hives required fondant feeders topping up.

Still too cold for nest examinations yet, and are not necessary at this point. Inspections continue to be external only, activity viewed through the glass quilts and at the hive entrances. Varroa board debris indicates rough estimations of brood production. This tells you all you need to know!



Healthy activity at the hive entrances with various colours of pollen going in.

First bumblebee of the season seen on the crocuses today, always a good sign, but March is the spring danger point where stores consumption can outweigh replenishment leading to starvation. Colonies that were not up to par before winter may have dwindled in numbers to the point that they won't be able to get going and may simply die out.

Bees are starting to show interest in the Vitafeed Pollen Patty put in the ekes three weeks ago.

[Keeper]

16th Feb. Full sun and 12 degrees brought the bees out in numbers today, and they were were bringing in a steady flow of pollen for the first time this year. It's a great sign and confirms the queen last seen in the autumn is still there and is stirring in to action. It heralds the arrival of spring (along with the blackbird that started his 5.00am singing at the top of the Larch two mornings ago!), better get prepared!



Not huge amounts, but a steady flow of orange from crocus and/or ivy, and a creamy coloured pollen whose origin I'm never sure about. They worked on for most of the day! Tricky to get a good photo as they were mostly flying straight in, not hanging about., no time for posing!

[Keeper]

Wonderful news yesterday that good friend and seasoned beekeeper Tom McGravie received a most unexpected Honorary Lifetime Membership for the Edinburgh and Midlothian Beekeepers Association for his 'services to beekeeping, with all rights, honours, and privileges thereto appertaining'. Tom, who was a long standing member and past President of EMBA, is also a past East of Scotland Area Representative for the SBA, and was SBA librarian looking after the Moir Library for many years until it was handed over to the rare books collection in the National Library. He remains one of Scotland's most experienced apiarists having kept bees for over 53 years (there's nowt he doesn't know about beekeeping!), and his contribution to Scottish Beekeeping and in promoting best beekeeping practice over those years is immeasurable.



Well deserved Tom!

Iain

[Keeper]

Fog rolled in last night leading to a cold and damp 5C start this morning after weeks of wild windy weather, ice and and snow, but the wind has finally calmed enough for a quick check around the apiaries.

The bees were up but haven't used much feed in last three nearly four weeks. Topped up the fondant, supplemented that with honey comb laid on top of exposed frames in the garden hives. The bees were on it instantly, just goes to show there's nothing like the real thing!

Usually put Nektapoll on the frames with the fondant feeders at this point to give the bees a boost as the spring arrives but supplies haven't resumed since Brexit, so trying out Vitafeed Pollen Patty this year.

Early spring flowers are showing all around now, snowdrops, crocuses, hellebores, mahonia, and gorse, all have pollen available and if the sun comes out the bees will find it.

[Keeper]

28th January, overcast, windy, 10C, the first snowdrops and crocus are in flower, the daffodils are pushing on, and the bees have been putting in an appearance these last couple of days. Spring is on it's way and it's always a good reminder that the new beekeeping season is just round the corner and preparations need to be made.

[Keeper]

17th January - A gloriously calm sunny day, bracing at minus 2C.

It's been 14 days since their first OA treatment. Checking the varroa boards the day after the first treatment revealed very few mites. It was time to carry out the second Oxalic Acid Sublimations and topping up/replacing any low feeders.

Following the last couple of days sub zero temperatures the bees were nicely down in the hives. Going about the process quietly and gently avoids having the bees trying to pour out while the wand is inserted. Once the power is applied and the OA fog billows through the hive they become agitated enough, and can be heard roaring inside. A silent hive at this point is an indication that all may not be well. In the event 2 were silent, and on removing the roofs once the wand had been removed and the colony allowed to settle it was evident that the strong colonies have remained strong but that 2 weaker colonies had died out. Both were dismantled and inspected for cause on site.

The first, in a garden apiary, was not an unexpected loss, having observed fresh drones at the previous visit, which is not a good sign at this time of the year. Inspection revealed very few bees left, perhaps as few as 4 or 5 hundred, as many that would fill your cupped hands. Many of the dead bees were drones. What evidence there was of brood production were just a few scattered drone cells either sealed or emerging.

The second was in an out apiary, records show that it had struggled through the season, been re-queened twice eventually becoming queen-right, but had never managed to reach full strength despite our efforts. There were very few bees left, as little as 3 or 4 hundred, and no evidence of any brood at all.

Both colonies were queen-right and had sufficient bees and stores when configured for winter and should have been able to survive and continue brood production through to spring. With so few bees left and no evidence of brood production, queen failure seems the most likely cause. This would not be a surprise considering the weather conditions during the season when the virgin queens should have been out mating. The rate of failure, more than 60%, of the splits and nucs created around the same time would support this theory.

Fingers crossed the colonies left are strong and will remain so!

[Keeper]

January 3rd 2024, 9C, overcast, cold and damp but calm day, bees staying inside.

Quick visits were required to the out apiaries over the last couple of weeks due to wild weather and very strong gales. Thankfully all in colonies in tact, although wind damage to surrounding trees was evident, falling branches blocking the track but just missing the hives.

Taking advantage of a break in the weather today to apply the first sublimation of Oxalic Acid. A quiet and gentle approach was required so as not to disturb the bees before inserting the heating wand, this ensures maximum effect of the vapour on phoretic mites. 3 minute heating of 2 - 2.5gms OA crystals, then leaving for a further 10 - 15 minutes before removing the wand and allowing bees out.



Two garden hives being treated, two wands in use, one heating while the other is set up. Allows the first to be left to cool in place while keeping the bees in for maximum effect while the second is heating. The bungee on the heating wand and attached to the brick on the roof, is under gentle pressure to keep the wand in place, the hive sealed, and the heating tip down from the underside of the wooden frames.

Once the wand is removed, bees invariably come out to investigate the intrusion. Bees that appeared from one hive were fresh drones, not at all what was expected, and probably means the queen has run out of sperm, or worse. Disappointing but not entirely a surprise as many of the nucs and splits created during the season didn't take, or produce laying queens. This was down largely to atrocious weather over extended periods meaning poor or no mating. Not much can be done for this particular colony at this stage, we will just have to see what happens to it over the next weeks.

[Keeper]

2nd December inspection - temperatures have dropped down closer to seasonal levels, which is a relief as the bees have been consuming their stores at quite a pace. Checking the hives through the glass quilts revealed most were down in the brood chamber, although a couple of the strongest colonies were up and very active on the fondant.

A quick check of the varroa boards showed that there is still significant amounts of brood being produced in all hives . If the temperatures remain low, brood production should slow down which will aid the efficacy of Oxalic Acid treatments at the end of the month.

With as little disturbance as possible the quilts were slid aside and empty feeder tubs quickly replaced in the ekes. Only the strongest colony bees came out, and like opening a hive in the dark (never recommended!), on this cold day the bees tended to cling and crawl rather then fly. After taking the gloves were off a painful sting on the thumb from one that had made it's way into my warm trouser pocket reminded me of that!