French Bee Connection

Well had a great week in France with our good friends, I went up in to there apiary to help extract there hives, also my mates French bee mentor arrived, hes a fantastic guy, he speaks no English but my friends do so it was okay. Weather was great very hot, think that's why the French bees are bit jumpy with people being around when robbing the honey. There honey produce is far more then in England again its down to the weather and a constant flow of flowers, rape seed oil, chestnut, sunflower etc.. I got home and checked my apiary and extracted two supers, there was a total of 42pounds big increase from my first year when it was only 10pounds, i think watching how the French way of bee keeping is basically same as English, but they do not use queen excluders Here are a few pictures. 1. French Bee Mentor 2. French Extraction 3. Cleaning the equipment 4. Tom,Dick and Harry

What A Weekend

Well Saturday 12th May, collected my swarm, then in the afternoon i went to neighbours and collected a swarm which settled in the guttering and down the wall, Sunday 13th went to a house were i got call to get a swarm, but when i got there they had got into the attic and there was so much clutter in there I could not get to them, and the attic had only beams so was not safe and i was not insured had to decline. Then 12pm went and collected another swarm but i had to make a second hive up quickly and put that in my garden next to Le~Pige meant movingLe~ pige 45 degrees so both entrance face same way, its worked. Now my stress levels were sky high, any way the new hive Le~Chai i i put queen in this brood box with only three frames, so Monday and Tuesday i will build seven more. I put a thick syrup feed on new hive, and will leave them a couple of weeks then check to see if its worked. mean while in all amongs my hive swarming, i went to help a lady who has a WBC hive, nightmare to work, but she had a small neuc and we went through the basics, like brood, stores, brood, brood caping and adding a super, so buy Sunday night i was creamed knackered. I still waiting for my 3rd full hive which i brought from my Bee Buddy in Lincolnshire so hopefully weather permitting they will turn up in couple of weeks, so basically after the swarming of mine i will have 3 hives, I BLAME THE FENCH, my friends in Le~Paynau will know what i mean. Just a picture of my hive Le~Pige Starting there swarming.

Le~Pige getting ready to Swarm

This was the Le~Pige building up to Swarm on Saturday 12th May 2012

My First Swarm

After coming back from allotment,Linda said to me which was about 10am that the bees were everywhere, and from the house there was a very loud buzzing, \Linda said it was like a black cloud , then about 20 mins later it was all what seemed back to normal. It was about 2pm when i returned from my allotment and i happen to go to the top of the garden and in a bush about 5 ft of the ground was a swarm, my swarm,oh no my babies have gone. I was not geared up to deal with the swarm as i did not have the right equipment, so called my mate who was on holiday, so called second mate John. Swarm collected safely and placed in his new hive which was empty, i did not mind as i knew my second hive of bees will be here soon, but we have learnt what to do with a swarm. I now just have to wait and see if my hive will re-queen and pick up.

Good Day

Got up to 18 degrees so just checked hive, Found queen, but not much brood there is new and grubs and capping but all is ok, Had to put second super on as first is 3/4full but full of bees so second super on brood box and old super on top Chuffed to bits By the way bees so calm no smoker used. It's been a year nearly and to date I have not been stung by my bees fantastic

Holding in the Pattern at Le-Pige

Just couple of pictures i took today Sunday 22nd April. First one looks like an airport, they are in a holding pattern lol, second one is just trying different setting on my camera.

Le-Pige Full Hive Check

Checked the hive Le_Pige and the temperature was 13 Centigrade and time was 11:45am so I managed to go through the whole hive. Checked the super and stores coming in probably ½ the super with stores. Started on the brood box , 11 frames all showing brood, capped and stores I located the queen on frame 10 which I was pleased to see even though I have brood and knew she was about. Well the bees were really calm so no need to smoke them though I had smoker nearby, but just as I was finishing they did get the ump but that was my fault as one of the brood frames fell out of me hand and hit the brood box so apart from that well pleased with the day.

Honey Extracter

Brought meself a Honey Extracter saves asking to borrow as usually every one wants to use one at same time.
well pleased.

Le-Pige Hive

Weather hit and miss again but my Bees at Le-Pige doing well,

Reversed the Brood Box and Super and put the queen excluder on, apart from that did nothing else to hive.

Next big event is my second hive and bees will be here soon cannot wait, I have ordered from
LincsBee again ,
the bees are so calm but I will do a update later on my first years’ experience with my first hive.

Hive Checked

Saturday 10/03/2012 did a check on the Le-Pige Hive.

Looks like they got through the winter, checked brood box and there is pollen and nectar coming in.

On frame 5 I have seen young brood so I know the queen is laying, this is a great sign that the queen made it through the winter.

So had a good morning.

:) :)

Monday 09st January 2012

Checked Hive today and the colony was out and about, weather all to pot, but bees look health which is main thing.

Strange Season

Well the weather has been very good but not want i wanted for bees, they are so confused, last few days they have been all out i think, even saw some bringing pollen back, not much but they should be in bed for winter lol

New Apiary

Decided to build a new Apiary site for my second hive, not giving location as it could be prone to theft by unknowns, my good friend Billy did most of it as i am thick as chit when it comes to D.I.Y, Thanks Billy.

My Friends Apiary

Just recived these photos from my good friends in France, they have relocaited there hives to different part of there land, lovley setting, just hope there calmer up there.

November bees home

Think my bees have finally gone into hibernate so to speak, hardley any activity outside the hive now, next visit will be to give oxalic acid treatment xmas time, that should make them happy lol.