Buzz word for March

Reading all the Twitter feeds it seems as the buzz word for March was colony collapse. So many people reporting that upon inspection all their bees had died.

 

Well the temperature here is still not getting above 4°c during the day and night time temperatures of -2°c so it seems a long way off before temperatures reach that magic 16°c where a full inspection can be carried out to look for problems.

 

I fed the bees some more candy last week and they don't seem to have touched it so I fear that unless we get a warm spell soon I will also lose my first colony. It will be such a shame as this swarm that moved in last May whilst I was on holiday had a queen that reared some really timid bees, they're a pleasure to handle and I often sat by the side of the hive last Autumn with a cup of tea watching them come and go.

 

Others have advised all sorts of things to try to keep them from dying off, but if they do not want to move from their small cluster they're still not going to feed, I might try spraying some sugar syrup on the cluster on Monday though if there is still signs of life.

Slow start to spring

Just been down to check on the hive and the bees had used up all the fondant I gave them last week so I have just given them another 250g.

The temp last night was -4°c and is now 2°c, they seem to have formed a tight cluster and it still seems a decent size about the size of a small melon so fingers crossed for some good weather pretty soon otherwise I might lose them.

Honey is going to be in short supply again this year.

Medicines Admin records

Something I've been using to keep records of my hive inspections since my bees took residence last May is something called Mobile Forms by Device Magic.

I'm not one for paper records so I'd been researching a way of maintaining records using a mobile device such as a tablet and phone and the limited number of apps that were floating around were subscription based and either very basic or just not worthwhile using. Everyone seems to have different ideas on what needs to be recorded, if the form is not flexible or editable it would not be ideal for everyone.

I came across an article 'Online Inspection Record Keeping' by Phil Khorassandjian (Secretary Sheffield BKA) on the Sheffield Beekeepers' Association website that put me on to Device Magic.

Mobile Forms by Device uses a form on a mobile device such as a tablet of phone to collect data and then populate a spreadsheet with the answers to your Google Drive and email you the form to whatever email address you choose. Best of all it will work off line. If your device is not connected to the internet out in the field you simply save your results on your device and upload to the internet later.

I customised Phil's original form for my own use and rather than repeat all the details on how to use it the link to the original form and instructions is still available on the Sheffield BKAsite.

What I did this weekend was to design a form for staying within the Veterinary Medicines Legislation where we have to keep records of the purchase, use and disposal of any honeybee medicines.

The form 'Vetenary Medicines Admin record' records details such as:

• Medicine name
• Date Purchased
• Barcode
• Supplier
• Quantity
• Batch number
• Use by date
• Date of administration
• Apiary
• Hive Number
• Total quantity used
• Administrator Details
• Date and route of disposal if not administered

I'm happy with the result and will start using it to record all purchased and administered medicines from now on.

If anyone is interested in using the form or to adapt it for their own use it is available to download here.

Just follow the same instructions on how to use and install as Phil details in his original article.

Still waiting for spring

So we have warmer daytime temperatures of 10°c for three days, but along with the warmer temperatures we have rain so I doubt the bees will be out foraging this coming week. I have fed them a 250g block of candy, which is a shame with the abundance of crocus's and snowdrops around. On checking the Correx sheet I did see some orange coloured pollen that has dropped through, so some bees have been out.

 

I am a bit worried that my bees are not good housekeepers, lifting the roof to check them and feed them there was a lot of mould inside the roof space and on the underside of the crown board. I swapped a super with a clean dry one and cleaned the crown board and roof with some Beeguard hoping the mould will be kept in check until the brood increases over the spring and some bees will turn their attention to some housework.

 

Whilst there is not much that can be done outside I turned my attention to labels, my first attempt on the right.

 

Equipment wise I think I have most of what I will need for my first full year as a beekeeper, other than an extractor, they all seem so expensive.