Inspection planning for 14/05/2019

Hello readers,

This post will all be about planning what to do during my next inspection.  I'll go over it hive by hive in the hive report, but first; Bees:

Weather Report:

Finally the weather is clearing up again, it's halfway may and we had some wet days, cold too.  So not the best days for the bees.  I expected a lot of swarm calls when the sun broke through, but I didn't get any.  So sad...

Up untill now we've had some good weeks very early (februari). Then after a week or 3 winter came clawing it's way back, till april.  Spring sunk it's teeth in and up untill may 11th the fight was still on.  I think winter is ready to give up now...

Hive Report: 

Apiary one:

Simplex Nuc: 
If you listened to my voice for over one hour in the last post on youtube you know I already made one split from this hive.  I've been looking through the window since to keep tabs on what's going on in the hive.
The amount of bees is increasing, and I feel they have recovered from me robbing some frames for a split.
For my next inspection of this hive, I don't expect to see any swarmcells, but you never know.  Whatever the case, I'll be making more splits from this hive.  Another 2 frames for one split, or more splits if there are swarmcells in here.  If I do find swarm cells I'm thinking about taking every frame with a swarm cell out of the hive and to remove the queen from the box untill all is prepared; The amount of boxes for splits depending on the amount of frames with swarmcells; the box will get some filler blocks to return the queen into that same box.

I'll be looking out for a 3rd apiary after this split.

SS 1 2018 :
This hive also gave birth to a split.  I did spot the queen on this one, so I know it's ok, unlike with the Simplex Nuc.  I'm not afraid the queen was in the split I made from the Simplex Nuc, since they don't act differently in comparison with the buckfast-bees from the simplex nuc next to it.
As there are still some simplex frames in this hive I'm hoping to draw all of them.  This may weaken the colony since I think they're just barely ready to be released form the filler blocks.
I'm thinking to place a queen excluder on top of the hive after removing the simplex frames (if there are no swarmcells on it) and replacing them.  Then I'll put a reducer on top of that, if there is brias in there I might take it off next day and move it to apiary number 2.  If not I'll just use it as a honeybox.

Apiary two:

SD 2018:
To be honest I don't think they will have filled up the first box.  My bees at home didn't so why would they have?
If they fill one box I might do splits depending on how strong they are and if there are swarmcells or not.  If they don't fill the box, I'm not sure what I'll do, I might move half of the brood downwards to make sure they are on 2 levels instead of just the one, but only if they are strong.
I'm also kind of expecting this hive to come at us.  If not, fine she can stay, but if it's too bad I might be on the market to buy a queen.

Zander Nucleus 2019:
This is the split from the simplex nucleus 2018.  I hope to transfer them into a zander deep with 10 frames.  I don't expect to see swarmcells, but you never know with bees.

Simplex Nucleus LL 2019:
In this hive, with 6-frames, coming from the SS 1 2018 I pretty much expect the same as I did for the Zander Nucleus 2019.

Sorry to keep it breef, but it's past midnight here and I really need to get some sleep ;-)

till next time

Bob Out!

Bob's Bees is a business

Hello readers,

It has been a while since I made time to post something new here.  This has several reasons...

Combining 2 courses, work, getting in immunotherapy and starting up my beekeeping as a secondary occupation are some of them.

On youtube (or underneath) you can find an hour long video where I talk over some footage I shot earlier this year.  I'm not commenting on the video itself, but rather talking about what I did so far this year.  (Not half as much as I'd like to have done.)

I'm not going to cover all my steps from 2019 here again, if you really want to find out, you'll have to listen to me for an hour long :-p

Immunotherapy

In the previous blog post I mentioned being allergic to bee venom.  As it is I'm 8 weeks into immunotherapy.  The dose I get injected with has been gradually increased and this week will be my first full dose.  I don't seem to have problems adjusting and only get a small swelling and some redness around the entry point of the needle.  I also feel very tired after the injection.

The day after the injection the erea around where I got injected itches.  But that's it.

I have two more consecutive weeks to make the trip to the hospital and if my reaction  to the venom doesn't get worse the intervals between injections will increase.

The nurse that gives me the injections is a very nice person and very professional, the hospital and the doctors she works for are very lucky to have her, and so am I.

The Courses

One of the two courses (Imkersbond Deinze en omstreken) has already come to an end.  My friend and I both took the final 'open book' exam and are (still) awaiting the results.  I have never been really good at predicting the outcome of my tests, but I have a good feeling about this one.

The course was only theory, the practical part is yet to come in the form of small voluntary sessions given by the beekeeper that is in charge of the provincial educational apiary.  As far as I'm aware, only two sessions have passed and I was only able to attend one, so looking forward for more sessions.

The other one (De mandelbie) is halfway and has a more practical approach.  With the educational apiary on site under supervision of the chairman of the local beekeeping club that's organising the course.   The chairman is also teaching most of the classes, but allows other teachers to use the apiary.

For both courses most of the sessions so far were given by different teachers and as it is with beekeepers, the opinions on some matters are as far appart as can be.  But overall there is respect for the opinions of everybody even when there is disagreement, some matters are put to rest before things get overheated...

My Friend

I asked my friend if he'd mind being in some video's with me, he didn't mind at all.  So the handsome dude in there is him (I'm the bearded ugly one, but I have the advantage of being younger).  He goes by the name Ives.  Expect to see more of him in the future.

What else is new in Bob's Bees 

I'm really pleased to tell you guys I'm 'in the buzzzziness'.

I started the business mainly to be able to charge for my interventions.  It's too often I get called out for bees that turn out to be bumble bees or even wasps.  I don't charge for collecting swarms, I do for trap-outs and depending on the situation I'd do a cut-out.  I also charge for milage, since I don't have a vehicle that operates on water ...

For all the flemish speaking readers that come here, you can find me here, and on google.

I plan on growing as a business and maybe one day I'll get to be a speaker with something to say...  Hoping to start of in schools where I can introduce the world of the bees to the youngsters.

So that's it for today, I'll be writing up another blog post right after this one with my plans for my next inspection of the bees!

Bob Out!