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
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