What have you done today bee-related?

[AdamD]

A quick check on mini-nucs yesterday in the rain. Unfortunately one had run out of food which is always sad to see, queencell just a few days from opening. I had already decided to start moving from my mini-nucs to something bigger so colonies can look after themselves better.

[Steve 1972]

Not that i have used them but I know a lot of people use them mini nucs but i don't like the idea of them trying to raise Queens and brood once she gets laying with so few bees..if i was ever to have a go at Queen rearing i would opt for a six frame poly nuc dumied down to two or three frames and add extra frames accordingly as they expand.

[Cable_Fairy]

I was watching my hive this morning and noticed a number of bees flying under the hive, getting down on the floor I could see that there was a layer of bees one deep covering the Varroa mesh. Is this normal and what do you think they are doing?

[Steve 1972]

I was watching my hive this morning and noticed a number of bees flying under the hive, getting down on the floor I could see that there was a layer of bees one deep covering the Varroa mesh. Is this normal and what do you think they are doing?

It is not normal unless you have something at the front of the hive to shield the bees from undershooting the entrance and at the back of the hive..it sounds to me you have cold chilled bees coming in from orientation flights...

[Steve 1972]

I was watching my hive this morning and noticed a number of bees flying under the hive, getting down on the floor I could see that there was a layer of bees one deep covering the Varroa mesh. Is this normal and what do you think they are doing?

It is not normal if you have something at the front of the hive to shield the bees from undershooting the entrance and at the back of the hive..it sounds to me you have cold chilled bees coming in from orientation flights or foraging duties...

[Cable_Fairy]

I was watching my hive this morning and noticed a number of bees flying under the hive, getting down on the floor I could see that there was a layer of bees one deep covering the Varroa mesh. Is this normal and what do you think they are doing?

It is not normal if you have something at the front of the hive to shield the bees from undershooting the entrance and at the back of the hive..it sounds to me you have cold chilled bees coming in from orientation flights or foraging duties...

Many thanks for the reply, I should have said these bees are arriving and flying in from the back, in front of the hive is a sea of buttercups about a foot high.

[Murox]

They don't know they are not in the hive, they under fly the entrance and settle under the mesh. Try blocking off the void under the OMF or put the inspection tray in.

[AdamD]

Not that i have used them but I know a lot of people use them mini nucs but i don't like the idea of them trying to raise Queens and brood once she gets laying with so few bees..if i was ever to have a go at Queen rearing i would opt for a six frame poly nuc dumied down to two or three frames and add extra frames accordingly as they expand.

Mini-nucs do need careful management - either not enough food, too much food, if there's too much un used syrup it can ferment in the feeder. Too many bees can happen quickly. Not a lot of laying space to assess the queen, Queens absconding in warm weather as the colony is unnaturally small ... I have ordered some Abelo Mini plus nucs to see how they work so I can retire the Apideas and Swi-bines.

[Steve 1972]

Many thanks for the reply, I should have said these bees are arriving and flying in from the back, in front of the hive is a sea of buttercups about a foot high.

If the bees continue to do it get some of that green scaffolding debris netting you see on scaffolding or around raised bed's on allotments and staple it or use drawing pins and wrap it all the way around the legs on the hive stand..

[Cable_Fairy]

Many thanks for all your replies, I think I have solved the mystery. Between the showers today I got down on my back with my head almost under the hive. Part of the mesh at the back of the hive had jumped off a nail and it was sagging a few mm, and the little beggars were squeezing through the gap. They all look like very young bees, and by the look of it can not find their way back into the hive. I have closed the gap and managed to box about half of them and placed them on the landing board, and they duly made their way back in the correct entrance. Between showers tomorrow I will dismantle the hive, its inspection day anyway, and brush them directly into the hive.