Mrs Webmuppet Posted September 1, 2013 Share Posted September 1, 2013 We now have a nucleus of bees! Our trainer surprised me today by setting up a hive (with half the brood box blocked off) and lending me various bits and bobs. He taped it all up and put it the boot of my car and sent me off to install the bees at their new home. The people who are letting me use their garden are highly delighted as they are big fans of bees. Pics will follow when I have worked put how to get the pics from my phone to my 'puter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 1, 2013 Share Posted September 1, 2013 Congratulations! It's addictive, I warn you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted September 1, 2013 Share Posted September 1, 2013 How exciting, my hubby would love bees, got the books but will have to wait until retirement. Strange thing is he doesn't even like honey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Webmuppet Posted September 1, 2013 Author Share Posted September 1, 2013 After much head scratching Mr W has extracted the photos from my phone so here's a photo.... [/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 Brilliant - well done the Webmuppets - keep us posted!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Webmuppet Posted September 18, 2013 Author Share Posted September 18, 2013 Crisis and catastrophe .......my Queen has disappeared There's no eggs and no uncapped brood, a panicky text has been sent to my beekeeping trainer. Fortunately he will be at the local beekeeping association meeting tonight and has said he will see me then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 That's bad news at this time of year. No uncapped brood means she's been gone at least a week. Did you spot her when you installed the nuc into the bigger box and have you looked in since? Are you treating with Apiguard? That often makes the queen go off lay and she could simply be hiding. If she disappeared while you had eggs/young larvae there would be emergency queen cells, even at this time of year. I hope you get it sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Webmuppet Posted September 19, 2013 Author Share Posted September 19, 2013 I spoke to my trainer last night and he said don't panic. He will come and check things over next week. He suspects one of two things, the cold weather has stopped her laying and she was hiding (not thats theres anywhere much for her to hide i only have 4operational frames and two that the bees are starting on for stores)when I was looking for her or there has been a mutiny and the bees have bumped her off.theres definitely no emergency queen cells and the drones have been kicked out anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 I would be worried and he should come sooner. She should be busy making your winter bees.Four frames of bees is a very very small colony at any time but especially now. I hate to say it but is your chap being fair with you? Shouldn't a newbee be given a decent colony? Has he at least dummied those frames down with some decent insulation or have you got foundation each side? What a horrid start for you. Can you pop them into a poly nuc box? They stand a much better chance of surviving the winter if they are warm and cosy. How much have you fed them,by the way? I know what you mean about drones. I have a colony superceding and the chances of this queen getting mated are very slim now unless my neighbours have drones...perhaps there are some Carniolans out there. Time to feed and close up till Spring now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Webmuppet Posted September 19, 2013 Author Share Posted September 19, 2013 The hive is partly blocked off with a dummy board. I have been feeding them sugar syrup ( gradually increasing the strength) using a rapid feeder. Unfortunately the weather forecast isn't good enough to open the hive up for the next few days so we have to wait for better weather, Monday is looking like decent weather.I also have loads of insulation. I need to get some fondant for them soon too, just got to find out where to get it from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 OK....I'll PM you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Webmuppet Posted October 1, 2013 Author Share Posted October 1, 2013 Hurrah, I opened the hive up yesterday as my trainer had told me to and there was Queenie bold as brass strolling around. She looks have started laying again as I spotted some unsealed brood. Much relief in the Webmuppet household. I have got the bees on a really strong syrup now and they are taking it. The bees are loving this warm sunny weather they were really busy yesterday. I now have almost 4frames full of stores, I may have to get some more frames for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Wonderful.Thank heavens Now get those luggage scales out and see how much they weigh. A full colony in a Nat needs 40lbs of stores to see them through;that's 7 or 8 frames. Extrapolate for your lot. Great!!!! I'm so pleased. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Webmuppet Posted October 1, 2013 Author Share Posted October 1, 2013 My bees are half way there then I have 4 frames almost full! I need to ring my trainer in the morning to arrange to pick some more frames. I have my fondant for winter feeding but it's awfully runny it's more like glacé icing. Any tips on getting it into a more solid state.....if I puncture the bag as it is the bees will look like tiny icing covered buns! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Fondant should be solid. I don't understand about the extra frames you are picking up? Are you putting more drawn frames/foundation in? A full colony needs 8 frames of stores, that's 11 seams of bees, a full National How many seams of bees have you got? By now they should be in their winter configuration, especially a small colony; no more frames to draw, just fill spare space with stores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Webmuppet Posted October 1, 2013 Author Share Posted October 1, 2013 I have a nucleus but the bees have filled four frames full of stores and even the spare space on the two brood frames have stores. I only have 6 frames in my brood box. I will phone my trainer tomorrow and see what he suggests, they are fast running out of space to stash any stores, there are wild flowers on the Heath and have been really going through the syrup as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 My advice would be that whatever else you do. Stop feeding NOW. Then see what you mentor says. If he has a drawn frame that would help otherwise I would be inclined to move the lot into a poly nuc box for the winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...