The June Gap is upon us, with very little stores in any of the hives. However, things are coming into flower now that will provide the much-needed food for the bees.I inspected Poly and Heather today, leaving Alice to her supersedure and new queen development until some time next week.
Poly is doing well, although is quite lacking in food. But there are good brood patterns, and small honey stores in the corner of brood frames and some in the super, so I’m hopeful that if the weather stays good this week they won’t need a feed.
Heather I’m a little bit more concerned about. Again, there’s good brood pattern, and signs of both upright and laying down eggs, showing a recently active queen. However, a single queen cell with an egg in it loomed large in the centre of the hive, despite there being no problems of a lack of food or lack of space to move or lay in. I’m hoping they’re just being over-eager with their emergency queen cells, but I’ll need to check they’re not planning supersedure for some reason at the end of this week, or the beginning of next.
Todo
Tues 30th onwards - check Alice for an active queen. - DONE
Feed Poly and Heather if the weather turns bad this week. - DONE Fed Heather
Check for supersedure in Heather by Tues 30th at latest. - DONE - just play cells…
