Three dozen members attended the first Meeting of the season.  The weather was kind, sunny & overcast, 12/15C, the five colonies doing well.  Floors & brood boxes were changed; queen excluders and varroa trays inserted.  Queen cells found, an artificial swarm was performed on hive 1

Hive Records

Hive 1 . Liz Hawes – 14 X 12 with 8 frames brood in all stages.  Sufficient room & stores.  One full Super of stores.  Good temperament.  2 unsealed Queen cells.  Artificial Swarm performed.  Queen + 3 frames brood, foundation on original site will retain flying bees.  Q C’s and remaining 5 frames, 3 stores & 3 foundation established as 1A.  Examine 1A in one month

Hive 2 .  Rowan Roberts – national.  Fed fondant through winter & trickle-fed syrup through early spring.  2.5 frames brood, 2 frames stores.  Good temperament.

Hive 3 (formerly 4). Peter Reader – National double brood, top box empty.  5 frames brood in all stages. 4 frames stores.  Sufficient room& stores. Good Temperament.  Existing fondant left.

Hive 4 (formerly 7) . Brian Herbert – National.  Queen seen & marked red.  7 frames brood in all stages.  4 frames stores.  One full Super stores.   Second Brood chamber added and brood split 4 below + stores & foundation, 3 above + foundation.   Second Super added.   Drone uncapped, varroa seen.  Deformed wings seen. Reasonable temperament.

Hive 5 .  Richard Williams – national double brood. 9 frames brood, 4 in bottom box, 5 in top; 10 frames stores, 5 in each box.  Sufficient room & stores.  Super added.  Reasonable temperament.  High propolisation between brood chambers (incorrect bee space).  5 wax moth larvae seen.