Sorry for long silence Bee-buddies !
QB has had great problems with her blogsite. However, that doesn't mean nothing has been happening.
So here goes.
In late August I finished taking full supers and, after spinning out the lovely golden bounty, I put the wet combs back above a clearer board (1 Porter escape removed) for the bees to lick clean and dry.
This year is a first! - Red hive and Lime hive decided to start filling up the comb again. On the basis that "they know what they're doing" (quote King Bee!) I have left them to it for a couple of weeks.
I have done a varroa count for each colony and found hardly any!!
Decisions have to be made about the strength and temperament of each colony - so ..................
-- White hive seems to have failed to raise a Q after artificial swarming.
Action - I united White with Red ( 2013 Q from art. swarm.) SUCCESS.
-- Blue hive 2011 Q stopped laying early. Having tried a few times to find her I have now put her in my freezer.
Action - I united Blue hive with Silver hive (successful nuc. with 2014Q) SUCCESS.
-- Lime hive - very agressive (a swarm given to me by a Bee-buddy in June.
Plan to re-queen but plan to purchase a gentle colony from another Bee-buddy and unite them.
Action - see next blog.
Feeding will begin soon and then treatment with Apiguard var. (for a change from Apiguard) even though the count was very low - I don't want to risk a growth in v. population.
Sorry no pics. - still got probs. getting them. Next blog in 2 weeks when I have sorted my technical
problems. Meanwhile, get planning for next year and take action to make sure you will have strong,
disease-free, queen-right colonies. It will be worth the effort.
QBZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzz
