With a two week gap between inspections Custodians were expecting to see swarm preparations and we were not disappointed.  As we entered the apiary site a swarm was issuing from 1A! Conveniently settling on an adjacent fence post this cast was easily collected. The weather was cool, sunny, 15C.  23 attended.

Hive 1 – Liz Hawes/ Anne-Chantal Ballard – National transferred to WBC equipment.  Queen seen. 8 brood in all stages  1 frame stores.  Transferred to 2 brood.  Top brood box 1 brood, 2 foundation remaining drawn comb. Space available.  Temper 9.  Rapid feed of 1 1/2 L. varroa board inserted.

Hive 1A – 14 X 12  Cast issued & caught by Graham Rowden.  Not inspected

Hive 2 – Peter Reader – 6 brood, all uncapped, 5 stores, a doubling in one week.  Space available.  Temper 8.  Super added. Varroa n/a

Hive 3 – Peter Reader – Double brood.  Brood 1 – 6 brood & 5 stores, brood 2 – 5 brood & 6 stores.  Space available.  Super added.  Some deformed wing.  Varroa n/a. temper 8.

Hive 4 – Brian Herbert – Double brood reduced to one during shook swarm procedure onto foundation & drawn comb on existing site.  Queen seen, caged and returned to colony after procedure.  Temper 8.

Hive 4A – Brian Herbert – comprising 10 frames Hive 4 brood + house bees shaken in + 1 super. Sufficient room.   New site.  Check for queen cells.  MAQS required.  Temper 8.

Hive 5 – Brian Herbert – Double brood reduced to one to produce three nucs.  8 brood, queen & queen cells.  Two nucs of 5 frames; queen + 3 frames in third ‘insurance’ nuc;  I QC left on original site in single brood.  1 super stores.  Super added.  Varroa 11/14 days