Fast work by bees

I've been hiving swarms since 6 o' clock this morning.  I captured four yesterday - one six miles away!  That was a pretty big one and, to show how fast bees work, I took a snap of the lid of the box they were in for exactly nineteen hours.



There was no wax on this lid when I shook the swarm into the box.

Interesting pic Sean. No interest as yet in my bait hive. The bees are working but not hard. Looking at the good amount of Lavender in flower nearby and not a honey bee on it makes me wonder if it is worth planting for Bees. They know best of course.

Cristy, I've always believed plantjng for bees, unless on the scale of an acre plus, is pretty ineffectual. It's interesting - and pleasurable - to plant shrubs and flowers for bees, but it makes little difference to the eventual honey crop. Unless there is good bee forage for miles around the hive site you are unlikely to get a good return. I once, many years ago, sited a small apiary in the mountains. They got plenty honey from the heather in August and September, but in the early part of the year they almost starved. In my experience, the very best location for an apiary is in sheep-rearing country which still has plenty of small fields surrounded by hedges (which is what we have around here). I would say the most important plants around here are: Dandelion and Gorse in the Spring, supplemented by Willow and Black Alder, followed by White Clover and Bramble (the biggest honey crop of all) and then Ling. Of course there are a myriad other plants of lesser and greater value which the bees draw from but, around here, those are the ones upon which the success of the venture depends - especially Brambles. Occasionally, a crop comes in from Hawthorn, Thistle, Bell Heather and others, but I would not site an apiary in an area which was devoid of brambles.

Ok Sean. Thanks for that. The Bumbles work the flower plantings which is fine. I checked the swarm colony today (the one with the queen cell added). Lots of brood so they are Queen right I am relieved to say. The main hive seems to be working ok with pollen being taken in, so I would say they also have brood. I will get into them properly in a few weeks. Looking at what forage we have I am of the opinion that you have a better site. We have white clover, Dandelions, Alder, Brambles, and loads of Ivy. It would be nice to have some Heather though.

Cristy, heather isn't all it's cracked up to be. Beautiful honey, but a lot of difficult, messy work compared to blossom honey. Some years you get a good crop and you can get it in comb honey or keep it separate for pressing out, but often it's just bits and pieces in frames of blossom honey which makes it a nightmare for extracting. I reckon you have a pretty good selection of honey plants there. With dandelions, brambles and white clover, you have the mainstays.