This week's visit to the Apiary at Kenwood House was very problem-centred despite the fact that I had made delicious lavender biscuits to share with the others! We looked through my hive several times and got the apiary manager to look too but no sign of my new green queen. My little colony had been getting on well but I am afraid that adding some brood frames from the 'swarmy' and depleted 'hive 2' last week may have added an unfortunate dynamic to my colony. Although there was capped brood I could not see any eggs so unlikely that the queen is hiding and more likely that she has left the hive. The workers were not agitated and were busy but I will need to do something radical next week as a queenless colony is a doomed colony.
On another queenless hive the bees were not happy with the actions that the beekeepers were taking and we ended up with some very angry bees. Hiding in the club-house was not enough as the windows were open. Several people were stung (not me). Attacking bees have to be killed or they will sting you later when you have your protective clothing off. Lots of smoke to masque the bee attack pheromone, action to remedy the underlying issue - queenless bees united with a colony with a queen cell. This is a very swarmy year leaving small 'anxious' colonies. Too much excitement for one day!
My home hive has been lively all week. I did my weekly inspection this morning and could not find the queen ....... but found a poorly formed and open queen cup with no larvae which is a sign that the workers are messing about making 'play cups' or I have a problem. I went back through each frame in the brood box but no sign of the queen and as it is quite a small colony without thousands of bees I began to worry. I went back through each frame again and looked on the walls and floor of the hive, still no sign .......... There were no proper queen cells which I would expect if my queen had left and a new queen was awaited but after losing a queen on thursday I began to get very anxious. It was starting to rain and the bees were now getting a bit lively and my smoker went out and then there was my naughty queen on the next frame I looked at the end of the second run of frame checking. The plan for today had been to inspect drone brood for varroa mite infestation but was not to be as closing up and calming bees and myself down was the priority - and a cup of tea (for me). Next week no hiding the queen and no making pretend queen cells please girls - beehave yourselves.
On another queenless hive the bees were not happy with the actions that the beekeepers were taking and we ended up with some very angry bees. Hiding in the club-house was not enough as the windows were open. Several people were stung (not me). Attacking bees have to be killed or they will sting you later when you have your protective clothing off. Lots of smoke to masque the bee attack pheromone, action to remedy the underlying issue - queenless bees united with a colony with a queen cell. This is a very swarmy year leaving small 'anxious' colonies. Too much excitement for one day!
My home hive has been lively all week. I did my weekly inspection this morning and could not find the queen ....... but found a poorly formed and open queen cup with no larvae which is a sign that the workers are messing about making 'play cups' or I have a problem. I went back through each frame in the brood box but no sign of the queen and as it is quite a small colony without thousands of bees I began to worry. I went back through each frame again and looked on the walls and floor of the hive, still no sign .......... There were no proper queen cells which I would expect if my queen had left and a new queen was awaited but after losing a queen on thursday I began to get very anxious. It was starting to rain and the bees were now getting a bit lively and my smoker went out and then there was my naughty queen on the next frame I looked at the end of the second run of frame checking. The plan for today had been to inspect drone brood for varroa mite infestation but was not to be as closing up and calming bees and myself down was the priority - and a cup of tea (for me). Next week no hiding the queen and no making pretend queen cells please girls - beehave yourselves.
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