Saturday, June 24, 2006

24th - 20°C

Cool after a week of rain.

Hive L: Two more brood frames of honey swapped for foundation, and a super of foundation added. Half a super of honey removed.

Hive R: Still good brood but supers not ready this week.

Hive W: Lots of capped Q cells positioned halfway up comb. Removed Q and all Q cells bar one. One super removed and two added. Capped Q in top placed in Apidea.

Hive 4: Two frames of honey removed. Added a super of recently spun frames.

Apidea: Small black Q caught and given to Dennis.

Hive 5: Added an empty frame to try and reduce overcrowding. Added a second super.

21lbs (9.5kgs) of pale honey extracted. (201lbs so far)

Saturday, June 17, 2006

17th - 25°C

Hive L: Capped brood. Two brood frames of honey were replaced with foundation in positions 3 and 9. Six frames of honey were removed.

Hive R: Good brood pattern. Two of the three supers will be ready next week.

Hive W: Grafted lavae from 11/06 didn't take so Q cell lavae grafted mid week. One of five survived and being built into Q cell. One new grafting attempted. Super removed.

Hive 4: Added three undrawn frames. Two frames of honey removed.

Hive 5: Colony building well.

29lbs (13kgs) of pale honey extracted.

Sunday, June 11, 2006

11th - 30°C

Hot!

Hive L: Two supers removed. New Q found and marked. Starting to lay. A few eggs and lots of royal jelly at the bottom of some cells.

Hive R: One super removed. Q laying well. Q cells removed.

Hive W: One super removed. Almost completed Q cell removed. Two frames of brood moved to top box with artificial Q cell cups each containing a grafted lava.

Hive 4: Q not found but colony relatively quiet so maybe Q is present.

Apidea: Frames building well and first sign of eggs.

Hive 5: New Q found and marked. Starting to lay. A few eggs and lots of royal jelly at the bottom of some cells.

80lbs (36kgs) of OSR honey extracted from four supers.

Sunday, June 04, 2006

4th - 23°C

Weather has at last warmed up for the past few days.

Hive L: Five frames removed. Still no brood. Two supers will be ready next week.

Hive R: One frame removed. Foundation slowly being built up. Good brood pattern. One super will be ready next week.

Hive W: Q laying well. Two super will be ready next week.

Hive 4: No brood yet but cells being polished ready for laying.

Hive 5: No brood yet but cells being polished ready for laying.

10lbs (4.5kgs) of OSR honey extracted.