WINTERING HIVES

I have finished feeding winter syrup for the hives so with stores and this boost will be better for next year unless we get a bad March 2013, Two hives have mouse guards on and protection from woodpeckers, the two in garden i do not bother with protection. Next thing at end of October i will put fondant on all hives then xmas time will do oxalic treatment weather conditions being right. I am looking after a friends bee hives for 5 years as he has gone to america so that is good more learning for me. I had purchased another hive from lincsbees in May and they have done well giving me 40 pounds of honey, so i have ordered a neuc for 2014 from same supplier.

Hives Doing well

Ellie hive doing well, another strong hive from lincsbee,

Hive Checks

My new hive is doing really well,i have added a second super on , its amazing what the weather has done,i am just waiting to get one super capped then hopefully get honey. The garden hive had a blip a few weeks ago, when i had hardly any eggs or brood so took a frame from new hive with new eggs to get garden hive to build queen cells, all seemed ok as i had two queen cells being built, i checked the hive Sunday and found a queen and about 6 frames of bees, brood and capped, but no queen cells, spoke to my mentor lincsbee, and after chat it looks like i got a swarm moved in. Just have to wait now to see if they are aggressive bees.

New Hive

After a bad winter i lost two hives, but had ordered a hive from my good bee keeper mate lincsbee, They arrived on the 5th June 2012 and i will call this hive Ellie. The queen is marked red and she is a big queen and working well, they are as calm as were all the other hives i got from Lincsbee, I Will post how good the hives are doing.

Good Day at Last

After loosing a second hive, and preying That Le-Pige hive would make it, today Thursday the Th April 2013, and the weather being 20 degrees i decided to go through the hive. I found the Queen who is going into her 3rd y, and a frame of brood, also pollen and nectar, I admit its not like year before but with the weather we had i am so happy she has made it.

Lost Hive

Well still fed up with loss of hive, due to starvation, even though i did nothing different with the two other hives, these are still ok even though weather rubbish. I have ordered another hive for spring summer. Below is picture of the starved bees.

My Girls out today

Well to-day Friday 15Th February its been a very nice day, and here are some pictures of my girls on the snowdrops and aconites in my garden, I even had one come in the kitchen to let me know the girls are out.

Extractor

This is a honey extractor made, so that if any frames are to hard to spin off, as i read that you can modify a fridge but trying wood, basically stick frames on rack and turn light on, then slide the front bit in to close, but add a tray in bottom to catch honey. I am not saying if its going to be successful, but being semi-retired i got time and thinking cap on he he he.

Bee Treatment

Went to the Hives today to give oxalic treatment, all went well as its first time i have used this method. All hives look great they have nice clusters on 5-6 frames, the weather was quite warm and i was surprised after opening the hives how calm they all were. Another learning curve given by Mike of lincsbees.